CU-1c-1982-12(LD) Rim Cud

Description

Pairing with its zinc twin under census number CU-1c-1982-12(LD), this rim cud appears on the heavier 95% copper alloy planchet at 3.1 grams with the wide large date numerals. Having both bronze and zinc versions of the same peripheral die fracture under a single census number creates an invaluable comparison set for understanding how planchet composition interacts with die failure geometry. When the same fractured die strikes a bronze blank versus a zinc blank, the resulting cud may exhibit measurable differences in the sharpness of the fracture boundary, the surface texture of the raised peripheral strip, and the degree to which the displaced metal conforms to the contours of the die void. These differences arise from the fundamentally distinct mechanical properties of the two alloys: the bronze planchet is harder and denser, resisting deformation more aggressively and producing sharper impressions, while the zinc-core planchet yields more readily, potentially filling the void more completely but with less definition at the edges. For the collector, this bronze rim cud carries the distinctive warm reddish copper surface that patinas naturally over decades into rich brown tones, a visual signature that separates it immediately from the cooler appearance of its zinc twin. Attribution by Cuds on Coins.

External References