CU-50c-1971D-02 Rim Cud

Description

Documented as CU-50c-1971D-02 by the Cuds on Coins attribution service, this rim cud on the 1971 Denver Mint Kennedy Half Dollar records a major die break event in which a segment of the die rim fractured and separated from the die body. When a piece of the die breaks away at the rim, the corresponding area of the striking chamber loses its design surface entirely, and coins struck from the damaged die exhibit a raised, featureless blob of metal — the cud — at the edge where the die fragment was missing. The metal flows into the void left by the broken die segment under striking pressure, creating the characteristic smooth, raised mass that distinguishes a true rim cud from lesser die cracks or die chips. The 1971-D Kennedy Half Dollar was among the first clad-composition half dollars struck at Denver after the series transitioned from 40% silver (1965-1970) to copper-nickel clad in 1971. Gilroy Roberts's obverse portrait and Frank Gasparro's heraldic eagle reverse were struck on planchets of 11.34 grams in a composition of 91.67% copper and 8.33% nickel bonded to a pure copper core. The "-02" suffix in the CU-50c-1971D-02 designation indicates this is the second documented rim cud for the 1971-D half dollar, suggesting at least one other die experienced a similar rim fracture during the same production year. Rim cuds are among the most visually dramatic die errors because they create a permanent, unmistakable alteration to the coin's profile — the raised blob is typically visible to the unaided eye without magnification, making these varieties accessible to beginning error collectors while remaining desirable to advanced specialists.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Chuck Newman
• CU-50c-1971D-02; none.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References