CU-25c-1985P-06 Cud

Description

The sixth documented cud on the 1985 Philadelphia Washington quarter — cataloged by Cuds on Coins as CU-25c-1985P-06 — represents the continuation of a die that had already fractured at its rim, producing a raised featureless mass on the struck coin where the broken section of the die could no longer impart design detail. Six distinct cud varieties for a single date-mint issue is a notable concentration, suggesting either that the 1985-P quarter dies were particularly susceptible to rim fracture or that the year's output received above-average scrutiny from error and variety researchers. No cross-references to other attribution catalogs have been established. Cuds rank among the most collectible die errors because they are immediately recognizable without magnification — the smooth, raised blob contrasting sharply with the surrounding design details makes them easy to identify even at arm's length. The 1985 Philadelphia quarter carried a mintage of approximately 775 million pieces, and the Washington quarter design — by then in its fifty-third year — was well known to both collectors and Mint employees, meaning conspicuous cuds were likely spotted and affected dies replaced relatively quickly. Each of the six cataloged cuds for this date represents a distinct die that broke at a different rim position and die stage, and specialists collecting the full set of 1985-P cuds seek to document the variety of fracture patterns that occurred across the year's die inventory.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Chuck Newman
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References