RIDB-1c-1955-11 Cud

Description

Eleventh documented retained interior die break on the 1955 Proof Lincoln Wheat Cent, RIDB-1c-1955-11 records a fracture where the broken die fragment remained lodged in place rather than separating entirely from the die face. The Philadelphia Mint struck 378,200 proof sets in 1955, a year infamous for producing the landmark 1955 Doubled Die Obverse on business strikes — though proof dies were manufactured through a separate process. Retained interior die breaks differ fundamentally from rim cuds: where cuds involve complete separation of die metal at the periphery producing a featureless blob, retained breaks preserve partial design detail because the fractured piece stays mechanically trapped within the surrounding die steel and continues to strike coins from its slightly displaced position. Cataloged on February 1, 2014 by Cuds on Coins, this variety carries no additional cross-references. The "11" sequence number documents that at least eleven distinct retained interior die breaks have been identified on 1955 proof cents, a notable concentration that may reflect the stress conditions particular to proof die operation where higher striking pressure and mirror-finish surface preparation create unique fracture dynamics compared to business strike dies operating at higher speeds with less per-strike force.

Attribution History

• Discovered by JC Stevens
• Cross reference: none. 02/01/2014.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References