LDB3-1955D-006 BIE Die Break

Description

Classified as a 3F+ BIE die break — where the "F+" designation indicates a full break extending both above the highest level and below the lowest level of the surrounding letters — this 1955 Denver Mint Lincoln Wheat Cent variety is the sixth documented BIE at Hardy position 3 for the date. Cross-referenced as Cohen 55D-B85 and Hardy 55D-3F+ 2, the variety benefits from dual attribution in the two major BIE reference systems. The primary obverse die marker is a die crack on Lincoln's coat, providing an additional identification feature beyond the BIE break itself. BIE die breaks form when a vertical crack develops in the die between the letters B and E of LIBERTY, and as the crack widens it fills with metal during striking to produce a raised bar resembling an extra letter I. The "F+" full-break classification indicates a particularly well-developed crack that created a substantial raised element. The 1955 Denver Mint struck 563,257,500 Lincoln Cents, consuming numerous die pairs over the production run, and the high volume made BIE die breaks a statistical inevitability. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, this variety was documented on July 2, 2017, adding to the already extensive catalog of BIE varieties known for 1955-D Wheat Cents.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Earl M
• Cross references: Cohen 55D-B85, Hardy 55D-3F+ 2. 07/02/2017.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References