CU-1C-1996-03 Cud

Description

Early in the documented sequence of 1996 Philadelphia cuds, CU-1C-1996-03 represents the third known die rim fracture to produce a cud error on Lincoln Memorial Cents from this prolific date. The 1996 production year has emerged as one of the richest for cud collectors within the Memorial Cent series, yielding at least ten documented examples — a density that directly correlates with the enormous volume of cents struck at Philadelphia during the mid-1990s. Each cud forms through a specific failure progression: metal fatigue initiates a crack at the die rim, the crack grows with each successive strike, and eventually the stressed section fractures completely from the die body. The detached fragment leaves behind a cavity that receives unsupported planchet metal during coining, creating the raised featureless blob that defines a cud. Unlike retained die breaks where the fractured section remains loosely in place, a true cud results from complete fragment separation, producing a smooth raised area with no design impression whatsoever. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, this variety is distinguished from its nine siblings by its unique position and size characteristics on the coin's rim area, making each cud independently attributable.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Fred Weinberg
• CU-1C-1996-03
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References