CU-1C-1970S-03R Cud

Description

Bearing the R suffix that identifies it as a reverse die break, CU-1C-1970S-03R on the 1970-S Lincoln Memorial cent documents a cud originating from the reverse (hammer) die rather than the obverse (anvil) die on a Large Date business strike. This distinction carries mechanical significance: the reverse die, mounted in the upper position of the coining press, absorbs the full kinetic energy of each downward stroke and is subject to repeated impact forces that can accelerate fatigue crack propagation through the die steel. On the Lincoln Memorial reverse, the detailed architectural elements — twelve columns, stepped base, entablature, and the seated Lincoln statue within the central bay — create multiple stress concentration points where the intricate relief generates localized force peaks during striking. CU-1C-1970S-03R's fracture occurred at one of these vulnerable zones on the reverse die, producing a raised mass of featureless metal on the reverse of struck coins where the missing die fragment no longer impressed its design. The R designation follows the cuds-on-coins convention of numbering obverse breaks first, then appending reverse breaks with the R suffix — making CU-1C-1970S-03R identifiable at a glance as the first documented reverse cud for the 1970-S date.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Chuck Newman
• CU-1C-1970S-03R
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References