IDB-1c-1955S-01 Interior Die Break

Description

First interior die break cataloged for the 1955-S Lincoln wheat cent, IDB-1c-1955S-01 documents a die fracture occurring within the design field rather than at the rim — distinguishing it from the more common rim cuds and retained die breaks that develop along the die's edge. Interior die breaks form when the die steel fractures internally, typically following stress lines created by the relief differential between the incuse design cavities and the surrounding field. Unlike rim breaks where the fractured piece can separate and fall away, interior die breaks often remain captured within the surrounding die structure, producing raised irregular ridges or patches on struck coins that trace the fracture path through the die. The Cuds on Coins attribution service documented this variety following standard nomenclature: IDB for interior die break, 1c for the one-cent denomination, 1955S for the date and San Francisco mint, and 01 indicating the first cataloged instance. San Francisco struck approximately 44.61 million cents in 1955 — a notably low mintage for the period, as the San Francisco Mint was scaling back cent production in its final years before temporarily ceasing coinage operations. Victor David Brenner's Lincoln portrait and the wheat ear reverse were in their penultimate year of S-mint production when this die fracture occurred. The relative scarcity of 1955-S cents in the broader market means that specimens showing this interior die break are likely quite limited in number. Collectors should look for a raised irregular feature within the design field that repeats identically across multiple specimens, confirming it as a die-origin feature rather than post-strike damage.

External References