LDB4-1956-001A BIE Die Break

Description

Bearing the "A" die state suffix indicating the earliest documented stage of this die break's progression, LDB4-1956-001A captures the initial appearance of a BIE crack at Hardy position 4 on the 1956 Philadelphia Mint Lincoln Wheat Cent. Cross-referenced as Cohen 56-B632 and Hardy 56P-4F+12, this variety provides the baseline condition against which later die states can be compared to measure crack propagation. Early die state BIE breaks typically show as thin, hairline cracks that produce narrow raised lines on struck coins — less dramatic than the wider breaks seen in later states but diagnostically important for establishing the die's deterioration timeline. The Hardy 56P-4F+12 designation places this break at a specific sub-position within the broader position 4 zone, distinguishing it from the numerous other position 4 breaks documented for the 1956 date. The 1956 Philadelphia Wheat Cent was produced in quantities exceeding 420 million pieces, consuming hundreds of obverse dies that each carried the potential for BIE development at various stress points within the LIBERTY inscription. Victor David Brenner's letter design, with its specific serif structure and spacing, created predictable stress concentrations that die variety researchers have mapped in detail across the entire Wheat Cent production era. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, LDB4-1956-001A demonstrates the value of die state documentation in building a complete picture of individual die histories.

Attribution History

• Discovered by JC Stevens
• Cross references: Cohen 56-B632, Hardy 56P-4F+12.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References