LDB345678-1951-001D Die Break

Description

Cataloged by Cuds on Coins as LDB345678-1951-001D and cross-referenced as Cohen 51-B97 and Hardy 51P-3-8Mul+1, this 1951 proof Lincoln Wheat Cent exhibits a die break. The "345678" segment in the catalog number indicates die breaks affecting multiple locations or stages across the die, while the "D" suffix identifies the specific break position documented here. Proof coins are struck on polished planchets using specially prepared dies under controlled conditions, making die breaks on proofs considerably scarcer than on business strikes. Proof dies are retired after far fewer impressions and undergo more frequent inspection, so a die break severe enough to reach the cataloging threshold on a proof issue suggests either a manufacturing defect in the die steel or an unusually high-stress area of the design. The 1951 date places this coin among the late proof Wheat Cents, with only seven more years of the design remaining before the Lincoln Memorial reverse replaced the wheat ears in 1959.

Attribution History

• Discovered by JC Stevens
• Cross references: Cohen 51-B97, Hardy 51P-3-8Mul+1. 06/11/2016.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References