Cud Or Die Crack?

First, keep in mind that a Cud is always located at the rim. When a die crack starts at the rim and goes around ending at another spot on the rim and the piece of the die breaks away then this creates a Cud. When a piece of the die breaks away that is not located at the rim then it is a die chip. If no piece of the die is broken off then it is a die crack. So this is not a Cud. It is hard for me to tell from your photo but I am leaning towards a die chip. Die chips on wheat cents are very common.

That's a good question. I don't know. I don't think die chips are as common on zinc cents but we will have to wait for Chuck, Bill, BJ or one of the other experts on that one.

This is called a Retained Cud. You can see in the upper part at the field the broken part of the die is beginning to move away from the main part of the die. As you said, a few more strikes and this will become a Cud. Nice example. Thanks Coop.

Hi,

Die chips are minor and very common on all Lincoln cents.

The pictures being shown with retained broken dies have value. Die chips are so common as to have no value unless a huge piece of the design is missing.

Cuds involve the rim of a coin. Once in awhile you might find a coin with a nice , very large die chip not involving the rim and that would have value. In that case you would have what looks like a big blob of raised metal in the middle of the coin.

Most times if you find a coin so described, someone melted copper or silver solder onto the coin. So a coin like what I described would have to be seen by someone who can tell what it really is.

Die chips that are miniscule like this one, or ones that cause a digit or letter to be filled are interesting but don't have any additional value.

Thanks,
Bill