LDB5-1956-001A BIE Die Break

Description

Positioned at Hardy location 5 within the LIBERTY inscription on a 1956 Philadelphia Mint Lincoln Wheat Cent, this BIE die break displays the characteristic raised vertical bar between the B and E of LIBERTY that gives the variety its popular name — the appearance of an extra letter I. Cross-referenced as Cohen 56-B1006 and Hardy 56P-SEL-1, this variety benefits from dual-system attribution that allows collectors to locate it in either the Cohen or Hardy classification frameworks. The "A" die state suffix indicates this is the earliest documented stage of the crack's development, when the fracture between the die's B and E letter punches was at its narrowest. BIE die breaks form when stress concentrations in the die steel between adjacent letter punches create a hairline fracture that propagates vertically. As the die continues to strike planchets, the crack widens progressively and fills with metal during each strike, producing a raised bar that grows more prominent with continued use. The Hardy location 5 designation places this fracture in a specific zone of the LIBERTY inscription — further from the rim than position 4 varieties, indicating the crack originated deeper within the die field. The 1956 Wheat Cent was produced during the penultimate full year of Brenner's wheat ears reverse, and BIE varieties from these terminal Wheat Cent dates are actively collected by specialists documenting die deterioration patterns across the design's final years. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins with documentation dating to January 2016.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Louis A
• Cross references: Cohen 56-B1006, Hardy 56P-SEL-1. 01/23/2016.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References