RIDB-1c-1972D-02 Retained Interior Die Break

Description

Second retained interior die break cataloged for the 1972-D Lincoln Memorial cent, RIDB-1c-1972D-02 presents another instance where the die steel fractured in an interior region — away from the rim — and the resulting fragment remained in its original seat rather than dislodging into the press mechanism. The Cuds on Coins attribution team documented this variety with no external cross-reference numbers established. Interior die breaks occupy a special place in error coin taxonomy because they demonstrate that die failure is not limited to the structurally vulnerable rim zone. Any area of a die face can develop fatigue cracks, particularly in regions of high relief where the die steel is thinnest (such as the deepest recesses that form the highest points on struck coins) or in zones where the hubbing process introduced residual tensile stresses. The 1972-D cent's massive production demands placed exceptional strain on every die employed, and the interior die failures documented by RIDB-1c-1972D-01 and RIDB-1c-1972D-02 reveal that Denver Mint dies were stressed not merely at their edges but throughout their working faces. Identifying a retained interior die break on a struck coin requires recognizing the characteristic raised island — a distinct area of elevated metal, bounded by crack lines, that appears within the design field rather than connecting to the rim. The fragment's retention means coins struck from this die carry both the original design detail (impressed by the retained fragment's working face) and the surrounding crack boundary, creating a subtle but unmistakable diagnostic signature that distinguishes these varieties from die chips, die dents, or other surface anomalies.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Jim Ussery
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References