I keep reading about die breaks, pictures included, but i still dont get what a die break is (i know, :dead-horse Can someone please in the most simple lagnguage, like you would explain it to a 5 year old ) Thank you
The most common version of a die break is known as a die crack which results in a raised line of metal on the actual coin. Regarding this issue, a photo is worth 1,000 words. Notice the raised line of metal at the bottom of the obverse. This line was cause by the metal flowing into the recess of the cracked die. There is a second die crack running through Jefferson's hair at the top of his head. Hope this helped!
The die cracks form usually at the weak points of the die. A crack in the die can extend from one letter to another or from a device to the edge. : Die cud occurs when a piece of the die actually breaks away: If pieces of the die breaks off, the metal flows into those voids creating filled devices. You'll find several examples of letters and numbers (dates) with the centers looking like a blob. (usually the "B" in Liberty or the "D" mintmark). As the die weakens it can actually shatter. This is what a shattered coin die looks like: http://koinpro.tripod.com/Dies/BushShatteredDieOffer.htm
Not everybody understands die cracks, die chips, cuds etc.. Just look at some of the auctions on ebay
There is no need to feel stupid. A lot of people don't understand how they occur and how one actually affects the resulting strike. Sometimes, terms are used incorrectly to describe various breaks. For example, the break in the photo of the CBH (post #3) is called a radial die crack because it extends from the rim toward the center of the coin. People often misuse the term "cud" to mean almost any kind of break, but it actually applies to a break along the rim that extends into the field of a coin as shown on the extreme example of the 71-D Lincoln cent in post #4. One thing that hasn't been mentioned is that die cracks are usually very common and don't always add a premium to a coin unless there is substantial metal displacement (the flow of metal to fill the void left by the crack). Chris
Quick question to clarify a cud, does it have to extend into the field to make it a cud? I collect a lot of late date large cents with rim breaks and always thought these were cuds even though the breaks rarely extend into the field. I believe on the 46N15 has a break that actually extends past the rim.
I'm showing my ignorance here, but I'm surprised there would be any premium at all with a die crack. Why would these coins get a premium boost? guy
Because some are really cool! The most dramatic ones, like the ones struck just before the die shattered can be spectacular looking and you can be sure there aren't that many examples around.