LDB4-1956-011 BIE Die Break

Description

Evolving from an earlier die chip stage documented as Cohen B620, this 1956 Philadelphia Mint Lincoln Wheat Cent now exhibits a full BIE die break — a raised vertical bar between the letters B and E in LIBERTY that resembles an extra letter I. BIE die breaks are among the most recognizable and actively collected minor die varieties in the Lincoln Cent series, named for the characteristic shape they produce. The progression from die chip to full BIE is documented by cross-references to Cohen Not Listed (indicating the full BIE stage was not in Cohen's original catalog) and Hardy 56P-4FL+, with the "4FL+" designation indicating Stage 4 with a full-length vertical break. The mechanism behind BIE formation involves stress concentration in the recessed area of the die between the incuse letters B and E: because these letters are deeply cut into the die face, the thin wall of metal separating them is vulnerable to fatigue cracking under repeated striking pressure. Once the crack propagates vertically between the two letter cavities, it produces a raised line on every coin struck afterward. The 1956 Lincoln Wheat Cent was produced at Philadelphia and Denver during the penultimate year of the Wheat Ears reverse design, which would give way to the Lincoln Memorial reverse in 1959. Cataloged as LDB4-1956-011 by Cuds on Coins, this variety documents the die's progressive deterioration from a minor chip to a structurally significant break.

Attribution History

• Discovered by JC Stevens
• Cross references: Cohen Not Listed, Hardy 56P-4FL+.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References