SD-10c-1969D-01 Split Die

Description

Split dies represent an advanced stage of die failure where a crack has propagated entirely across the die face, effectively dividing it into two or more segments that shift relative to each other during striking. SD-10c-1969D-01 on the 1969-D Roosevelt Dime records the first cataloged split die from this Denver Mint date. When a die splits, the separated sections can move independently under striking pressure, producing coins with visible displacement along the crack line—a step or shelf where one portion of the design sits at a different level than the adjacent section. This creates a dramatically different appearance from a simple die crack, which may be visible as a raised line but does not produce the characteristic displacement of a true split. The 1969-D Roosevelt Dime was struck in the copper-nickel clad composition adopted in 1965, and Denver's production volume for this date required numerous working dies, each susceptible to the progressive fatigue that culminates in a full split. Denver Mint production. Cataloged and verified by Cuds on Coins.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Jerry Long
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References