LDB4-1955S-002B BIE Die Break

Description

Second sub-variant within the 002 die group for the 1955 San Francisco Mint Lincoln Wheat Cent, this BIE die break documents the "B" stage or position of a die that produced multiple cataloged fracture states. The sub-letter progression from 002A through 002B (and beyond to 002C) tracks an individual die's deterioration over its service life, recording how the BIE fracture evolved as the die continued in production. Cross-referenced as Cohen 55S-B610 and Hardy 55S-4FL+7, this variety shares its Cohen and Hardy designations with sibling sub-variants 002A and 002C, confirming they all originate from the same physical die — distinguished by progressive changes in the fracture's appearance or extent. The variety was cataloged on 09/24/2016. San Francisco's 1955 cent production was modest at approximately 44 million pieces, the smallest output among the three operating mints. This lower volume makes San Francisco BIE die breaks less commonly encountered in circulation finds compared to the far more plentiful Philadelphia and Denver issues, lending added numismatic interest to documented S-mint examples. The BIE fracture mechanism is identical across all three mints: stress-induced cracking in the thin die steel between LIBERTY's recessed letter forms, with the resulting void filling with metal during striking. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, the 002B sub-variant demonstrates the detailed forensic approach that BIE researchers apply to tracking individual dies through their complete fracture evolution at the San Francisco facility.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Louis A
• Cross references: Cohen 55S-B610, Hardy 55S-4FL+7. 09/24/2016.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References