LDB4-1957-007 Die Break

Description

From the final year of proof Wheat Cent production, this 1957 proof Lincoln Wheat Cent die break is cataloged as LDB4-1957-007 and cross-referenced as Cohen 57-B412 with a "Possible" qualifier and Hardy 57P-EL+6. The "Possible" designation on the Cohen reference indicates the attribution has not been fully confirmed, suggesting diagnostic features may be borderline or that additional specimens are needed for verification. Hardy's 57P-EL+6 places this variety within the Hardy framework for proof Lincoln die breaks. The 1957 proof cent holds a unique place as the penultimate year of Wheat Cent production — the final proof year, since the 1958 proof set was the last to feature the wheat reverse before the Memorial design debuted in 1959. Proof dies were manufactured at Philadelphia and struck on polished planchets, producing coins with mirror fields that make die cracks and breaks dramatically visible. Die breaks on terminal-year proof issues attract collector attention because they represent the final chapter of a design in continuous production since 1909.

Attribution History

• Discovered by JC Stevens
• Cross references: Cohen 57-B412 “Possible”, Hardy 57P-EL+6. 07/21/2015.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References