RIDB-10c-2007P-01 Retained Interior Die Break

Description

Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, RIDB-10c-2007P-01 documents a retained interior die break on the 2007 Philadelphia Roosevelt dime — a die failure phenomenon distinct from rim cuds in that the fracture occurs within the die face rather than at its edge. In a retained interior die break, a section of the die cracks and separates from the die body but remains loosely held in place, creating a raised or depressed area on struck coins that retains some design detail rather than the completely featureless blob characteristic of a full cud. The cross-reference notation indicates that the pictured specimen also displays a second retained interior die break, suggesting the die was experiencing multiple fracture events simultaneously — a condition indicating advanced die deterioration that would typically lead to imminent replacement. No additional attribution cross-references have been established. Retained interior die breaks are less commonly cataloged than rim cuds because they can be more difficult to distinguish from post-strike damage or planchet irregularities, requiring careful examination of the break's relationship to the surrounding design to confirm its die-origin nature. The 2007-P Roosevelt dime saw substantial production as part of the continuous Philadelphia dime output, and die failures of this type represent momentary mechanical events within a production run that consumed hundreds of die pairs. The break's interior position — away from the rim stress zone where most die fractures initiate — may indicate a pre-existing flaw in the die steel, such as an inclusion or internal void, that served as a fracture nucleation point under repeated striking loads.

Attribution History

• Discovered by George Winters
• Cross reference: none. The Roosevelt dime pictured also has a retained interior die break.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References