FDC-5c-1979-01 Die Chip

Description

A small section of die surface fractured and separated on this 1979 Philadelphia Jefferson Nickel, producing a raised bump on struck coins that distinguishes FDC-5c-1979-01 as a cataloged die chip variety. Unlike cuds, which occur at the rim, die chips form within the interior die face where localized stress concentrations or metallurgical inclusions create fracture initiation points. Felix Schlag's Jefferson portrait, in continuous production since 1938 and by 1979 in its forty-second year, accumulated design fatigue data across billions of coins — and die chips on the obverse portrait document the specific locations where die steel failed under repeated impact. Cross-referenced as JNC-79-1, this variety carries dual designations in both the FDC (die chip) and JNC (Jefferson Nickel Coin) classification systems. Philadelphia's nickel production in 1979 was substantial, running high-speed presses that subjected each die to millions of strikes before retirement. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, FDC-5c-1979-01 represents the intersection of systematic die defect documentation with one of America's most enduring coin designs, providing collectors with a precisely cataloged example of the die chip phenomenon on a readily available modern issue.

Attribution History

• Cross reference number: JNC-79-1 & FDC-5c-1979-01
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References