CU-1C-1980-03 Rim Cud

Description

Specifically identified as a rim cud in the Cuds on Coins catalog, CU-1C-1980-03 documents the third confirmed die rim separation on 1980 Philadelphia Lincoln Memorial cents. The explicit "Rim Cud" designation in the catalog title serves to distinguish this variety from interior retained die breaks, confirming that the fracture extends to and includes the coin's rim — the raised border that normally encircles the entire design. When the corresponding die rim fragment detaches, the resulting void creates a characteristic raised mass of metal that bridges the boundary between the design field and the coin's edge, producing a smooth, featureless extrusion where design elements and the protective rim once appeared. Rim fractures represent the most common terminal die failure mode because the die rim constitutes the thinnest and most mechanically vulnerable region of the working die face — it is the zone where the flat striking surface transitions to the collar-contact area, creating a geometric stress concentration that accumulates fatigue damage more rapidly than the interior die surface. No secondary cross-reference number has been established for this variety. The 1980 Philadelphia cent was the first year to carry the P mintmark on Lincoln cents, struck from 95% copper planchets. Attribution by Cuds on Coins.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Joe Koelling
• CU-1C-1980-03; number: none.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References