CU-5c-1983P-03 Cud

Description

Third cud documented for the 1983 Philadelphia Mint Jefferson Nickel, CU-5c-1983P-03 records a major die break at the rim where a piece of the die fractured and separated completely, leaving a cavity in the die face that filled with metal during each subsequent strike to produce a raised featureless blob at the coin's edge. The 1983 date holds particular significance in U.S. Mint production history because 1983 was the second full year of copper-plated zinc cent production, and while that compositional change primarily affected cents, the same era saw increased production pressures across all denominations at both Philadelphia and Denver. Jefferson Nickels continued to be struck on the same 75% copper, 25% nickel alloy used since the series' introduction in 1938, and the hardness of this composition generates substantial mechanical stress during high-speed striking, concentrating forces at the die rim where fractures typically initiate. Three documented cuds for a single date and mint indicate that multiple die pairs experienced terminal rim failures during the 1983-P production run. Cuds are among the most visually striking die errors because the affected area shows complete loss of design detail, replaced by a smooth raised mass that interrupts the coin's normal rim and design elements. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, this variety demonstrates the ongoing nature of cud documentation across all dates in the Jefferson Nickel series, which by 1983 was in its forty-fifth year of continuous production using Felix Schlag's classic design.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Fred Weinberg
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References