I was just trying to buy a granola bar between classes. Our school vending machine isn’t anything special—it mostly eats dollar bills and refuses coins. But that day, it spat back a coin that didn’t feel right in my palm. It was heavier, thicker, and had a familiar face I hadn’t seen in years.
It was a Susan B. Anthony dollar. But this one had something extra—right on the rim, a strange raised bump that didn’t look like normal wear.
A Coin That Stood Out in the Snack Line
At first, I thought the machine was broken. I dropped the coin in again, and again it came clanking down the return slot. That’s when I gave it a closer look.
It had the date “1980,” with Susan B. Anthony’s bold profile facing out. Around the edge, though, something odd caught my eye—a raised blob on the rim that almost looked melted, but too uniform to be damage. That little bump would later introduce me to the world of coin errors.
What Is a Rim Cud?
I had never heard the term before that day. But after posting a photo in a coin collector’s subreddit and doing a bit of reading on the PCGS website, I learned this was called a rim cud.
A cud is a type of mint error caused by a die break—when a chunk of the die used to stamp the coin breaks off. In this case, part of the rim die had cracked, and the result was an extra blob of metal raised above the edge of the coin.
Unlike damage that happens after a coin is released, cuds happen at the mint, making them collectible and often sought after by error collectors. A rim cud is typically found along the coin’s edge, disrupting the otherwise clean border. On the Susan B. Anthony dollar, it’s especially noticeable because of the wide, flat rim that surrounds the design.
The Forgotten Dollar That Still Teaches
The Susan B. Anthony dollar was only minted from 1979 to 1981 and again in 1999. Despite its short run, it was the first U.S. coin to feature a real woman instead of Lady Liberty—a tribute to the pioneering suffragette who fought for women’s voting rights.
Ironically, the coin never gained widespread popularity. People often confused it with the quarter due to its similar size and color. Still, finding one in a school vending machine in 2025 felt like spotting a relic of history—especially with a mint error right on the rim.
It made me wonder: how many hands had passed this coin down? How did it survive decades of circulation without getting pulled aside?
Coins as Classroom Curiosity
The discovery sparked more than just excitement—it turned into a mini history lesson. I showed the coin to a teacher, who happened to be a coin hobbyist. He brought out a few other error coins from his collection: off-center cents, die cracks, and a buffalo nickel with a worn date.
Soon, a small crowd of students gathered around, asking questions. Who decides what’s an error? Are they rare? Could we find more? One kid even emptied his pocket change right there on the desk.
A Coin That Changed My Perspective
What started as a snack run became a lesson in patience, curiosity, and observation. That 1980 Susan B. Anthony dollar with its rim cud now sits in a small display frame on my desk. Not because it’s worth a fortune—but because it reminded me that value isn’t always about price.
Sometimes, it’s about history. Sometimes, it’s about the story a coin carries.
And sometimes, it’s about the way a vending machine teaches you more than the classroom ever planned.
Also Read: This Coin From a Church Donation Box Was a 1938 Jefferson Nickel — Low Mintage
Takeaway
Always look closely. Even in the most ordinary places—like a vending machine on a Tuesday—you might stumble on something extraordinary. Coins, like people, often carry more than just face value.