SD-10c-1973D-01 Split Die

Description

First cataloged split die variety for the 1973-D Roosevelt dime, SD-10c-1973D-01 records a dramatic die failure where the working die fractured into separate sections during production at the Denver Mint. Split dies represent an advanced stage of die deterioration that goes beyond simple rim cracks or cuds — the die steel separates along a fracture plane that extends across the die face, causing the two halves to shift slightly relative to each other and producing coins with visible misalignment between the design portions on either side of the split line. John R. Sinnock's Roosevelt dime design, in continuous production since 1946, places Franklin Roosevelt's profile on the obverse and a torch flanked by olive and oak branches on the reverse, with the clad composition adopted in 1965 replacing the original 90% silver alloy. Denver struck approximately 455.0 million dimes in 1973, a substantial production run that subjected die pairs to the cumulative stresses of hundreds of thousands of strikes. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins with no known cross-references, SD-10c-1973D-01 illustrates the terminal phase of die life where continued use after initial cracking allows the fracture to propagate completely across the die face. On struck coins, a split die manifests as a visible line or seam running across the coin's surface, with design elements on either side of the split potentially showing slight misalignment, height differences, or weakness along the fracture line itself. Collectors encountering this variety will notice the split line most readily under low-angle illumination that casts shadows along the linear disruption crossing the coin's surface, distinguishing it from post-strike scratches by its raised or displaced character and its consistent position across multiple specimens.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Mike Diamond
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References