CU-50c-1983P-08 Rim Cud

Description

Closing out the known cluster of 1983 Philadelphia Kennedy half dollar rim cuds, CU-50c-1983P-08 is the eighth documented die break at the rim for this date and mint combination. A cud error results from catastrophic die failure near the rim, where a fragment of the die separates entirely and the resulting cavity fills with metal during striking, leaving a raised featureless area on the finished coin. The 1983 Kennedy half dollar occupies a distinctive niche in the series because no examples were released for circulation; all were produced for uncirculated mint sets, constraining the total output and making any die variety from this year less commonly encountered than those from high-mintage circulation years. That four separate 1983-P dies developed rim breaks significant enough to warrant individual catalog entries speaks to the physical demands placed on dies during half dollar production. The position of each break along the rim provides the key differentiator among the -06, -07, and -08 varieties, and collectors evaluating a 1983-P Kennedy cud should note which design elements are obliterated by the raised mass to confirm the correct catalog attribution.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Chuck Newman
• CU-50c-1983P-08; number: none. 10/04/2018.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References