LDB4-1955D-014 BIE Die Break

Description

Fourteenth documented BIE die break for the 1955 Denver Mint Lincoln Wheat Cent at Hardy position 4SBM-1 — south of the B-M zone — this variety captures a localized die crack in a specific region of the LIBERTY inscription. The Hardy classification 55D-4SBM-1 uses a coordinate system that maps the precise location of the die crack relative to letter boundaries, allowing researchers to distinguish this fourteenth entry from the dozens of other BIE breaks documented for the same date. The "SBM" component indicates the break falls south of the zone between the B and M reference points in the Hardy grid, and the "-1" suffix provides additional positional precision. BIE die breaks represent stress fractures in the die steel between adjacent letters of LIBERTY on Lincoln Cents, where the typography creates natural zones of mechanical weakness. When a crack forms and a planchet is struck against the damaged die, metal flows into the crevice, producing a raised bar on the finished coin. Cohen did not catalog this variety, establishing the Hardy reference as the primary identifier. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins with a documentation date of October 7, 2015, the fourteenth BIE for 1955-D sits within one of the richest date runs in BIE collecting. Denver's extensive 1955 cent production, combined with the fact that these were among the last Wheat Cents ever produced, makes the 1955-D a particularly well-studied date for die deterioration research.

Attribution History

• Discovered by JC Stevens
• Cross references: Cohen Not Listed, Hardy 55D-4SBM-1. 10/07/2015.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References