LDB4-1957-001 Die Break

Description

First entry in the LDB4 die break catalog for the 1957 Proof Lincoln Wheat Cent, LDB4-1957-001 holds foundational status as the initial documented fracture in what would eventually grow to encompass over sixty cataloged breaks for this single proof date. Cross-referenced as Cohen 57-B596 and Hardy 57P-4EL+25, this variety was cataloged July 13, 2015 by Cuds on Coins — one of the earliest dates in the 1957 proof die break documentation campaign. The confirmed Cohen 57-B596 reference validates this break within the established Cohen classification framework, and the Hardy 57P-4EL+25 designation places it at the fourth element level with specific positional data. As the first numbered entry, LDB4-1957-001 likely represents one of the most prominent or easily identified breaks on 1957 proof cents, consistent with the convention of assigning lower catalog numbers to more visible or significant varieties. Philadelphia produced 1,247,952 proof sets in 1957, each containing a cent struck with Victor David Brenner's Wheat Ears reverse that was approaching its final years — 1958 would be the last. The element-level classification confirms this fracture intersects a design feature, where the contrast between mirror fields and the disrupted fracture zone makes proof die breaks particularly dramatic and collectible.

Attribution History

• Discovered by JC Stevens
• Cross references: Cohen 57-B596, Hardy 57P-4EL+25. 07/13/2015.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References