LDB6-1966-001 BIE Die Break

Description

Documented as LDB6-1966-001, this BIE die break variety on a 1966 Lincoln cent is cross-referenced to two major die break cataloging systems: Cohen 66-B1110 and Hardy 66P-SDHM-1, with a documentation date of 05/17/2016. BIE die breaks are a beloved category of Lincoln cent die deterioration errors in which a crack or chip between the B and E in LIBERTY produces a raised vertical bar on the struck coin, giving the appearance of an extra letter "I" between those two characters. The LDB6 prefix within the Lincoln Die Break cataloging system designates the sixth positional category for die breaks relative to the LIBERTY inscription. The Hardy reference 66P-SDHM-1 encodes detailed classification information: 66P identifies the 1966 Philadelphia Mint issue, and SDHM describes the die break characteristics. In the Hardy classification system, "S" indicates a semi die break (one that does not span the full height of the adjacent letters), "DHM" specifies a break of one-half or more but less than three-quarters of the letter height positioned at the upper middle of the die break zone. This granular classification system allows researchers to precisely categorize die breaks by their size and vertical position, enabling statistical analysis of where within the letter space die cracks most commonly develop. The 1966 cent was produced at the Philadelphia Mint without mint marks under the Coinage Act of 1965, during a year that saw 2,188,147,783 business strike cents manufactured. Struck on a 3.11-gram, 19mm planchet of 95% copper and 5% zinc.

Attribution History

• Discovered by JC Stevens
• Cross reference: Cohen 66-B1110, Hardy 66P-SDHM-1. 05/17/2016.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References