CU-5c-1972D-04A Cud

Description

Fourth documented cud variety for the 1972 Denver Mint Jefferson Nickel — with the "A" suffix denoting a specific die state — this major die break occurred at the rim where a piece of the die fractured and separated, creating a raised featureless mass on the struck coin. The die state suffix distinguishes this from other stages of the same die's deterioration, as cuds often progress through identifiable stages: an initial crack (pre-cud), partial separation (retained cud), and full separation (full cud). The 1972-D Jefferson Nickel was produced during a period of robust coinage output at the Denver Mint, where the sustained high-speed striking of nickel-composition blanks placed enormous mechanical stress on die rims. Four documented cuds from a single date indicates that multiple dies developed terminal rim fractures during the production run. Felix Schlag's original Jefferson portrait and Monticello reverse had been in continuous use for thirty-four years by 1972, and the design's relief characteristics influenced where die stress concentrated during striking. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, this variety is part of the Jefferson Nickels Original Design series that ran from 1938 through 2003.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Heritage Auction
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References