RIDB-1c-1952-02 Cud

Description

Second documented retained interior die break for the 1952 Proof Lincoln Wheat Cent, this variety records a fracture within the interior field of the die rather than at the rim — a fundamentally different failure mode from the rim-based cuds that make up the majority of cataloged die breaks. When an interior section of the die fractures and remains in place, the broken fragment continues to strike coins but shifts slightly with each impression, creating a distorted appearance in the affected area surrounded by normal design detail. The RIDB prefix distinguishes these varieties from rim cuds, pre-cuds, and standard die cracks. The 1952 Proof Lincoln Cent was struck at Philadelphia during an era of growing collector interest in proof coins — the Mint had resumed proof production in 1950 after a wartime hiatus, and annual proof sales were climbing steadily. Interior die breaks on proof coins are especially visible because the mirror-like fields provide no camouflage for any disruption in the design. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, this variety documents die stress that manifested away from the rim on a carefully manufactured proof die.

Attribution History

• Discovered by JC Stevens
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References