DC-1c-1956-01R Die Chip

Description

First documented die chip on the reverse of a 1956 Philadelphia Mint Lincoln Wheat Cent, this variety preserves evidence of localized die surface failure where a small fragment of hardened steel broke away from the die face. When a die chip forms, the missing piece leaves a shallow cavity in the die that fills with metal during striking, producing a raised bump or blob on the finished coin. Unlike die cracks, which create linear raised features, die chips produce discrete raised areas that can appear anywhere on the coin's surface. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins with no known cross-references (documented 08/2018), the DC-1c-1956-01R designation indicates this is a die chip (DC) on a one-cent piece from 1956, with the "R" suffix specifying the reverse die as the location. The 1956 Lincoln Wheat Cent was struck exclusively at Philadelphia, with a mintage of approximately 420.7 million coins — the penultimate year of Victor David Brenner's iconic Wheat Ears reverse, which had been in continuous production since 1909. Die chips on late-date Wheat Cents are collectible markers of die deterioration during high-volume production runs, and they provide tangible evidence of the mechanical stresses that coin dies endure during their working life.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Peter Lukic
• Cross references: none. 08/22018.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References