IDB-1c-1955-05 Interior Die Break

Description

Cataloged as IDB-1c-1955-05 in the Cuds on Coins reference, this 1955 Lincoln Wheat Cent exhibits an interior die break—a fracture occurring within the die's field area rather than at the rim. Unlike rim cuds, where a piece of the die edge breaks away to leave a raised featureless blob along the coin's border, interior die breaks occur when stress causes a section of the die face to crack or separate in the central field, creating raised irregularities surrounded by normal design on all sides. The retained portion of the broken die segment remained in place during striking, producing a distinctive raised area that differs in character from die cracks or die chips. Interior die breaks are less common than rim breaks because the die edge, being unsupported on one side, is structurally more vulnerable than the interior field. The 1955 date is one of the most studied in the Lincoln Wheat Cent series, particularly for its famous doubled die obverse, and collectors examining 1955 cents for that marquee variety sometimes discover secondary varieties like this interior break. This piece documents the range of die failure modes present in that year's production.

Attribution History

• Cross reference number: The interior die break is indicated with black arrows. The retained interior die break is indicated with white arrows.  See IDB-1c-1955-05. 09/28/2021.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References