RIDB-1c-1955-04 Cud

Description

Identified on the 1955 proof Lincoln wheat cent, this cud error resulted from a piece of the die breaking away at the rim, leaving a raised featureless blob of metal on the struck coin. A cud is a major die break where the fracture extends to the rim edge, unlike interior die breaks surrounded by intact die surface. The primary diagnostic is a long horizontal die crack running through Lincoln's jacket, serving as a reliable attribution marker for the specific die pair. Cuds on proof coinage are uncommon because proof dies are typically inspected more frequently and retired earlier than business strike dies, making specimens from this die scarce relative to cud varieties found on high-volume circulation issues. The 1955 proof Lincoln wheat cent was struck at the Philadelphia Mint as part of the annual proof set, falling within the final years of the wheat reverse design before its replacement by the Lincoln Memorial reverse in 1959. Collectors of both proof Lincoln varieties and cud errors will find this piece noteworthy for combining proof finish with terminal die failure.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Ozzy Pendarvis
• Cross reference: none. This die can be recognized by the long horizontal die crack in Lincoln’s jacket.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References