LDB234-1993D-001 BIE Die Break

Description

BIE die breaks are the most widely collected minor die break variety on Lincoln cents, named for the vertical raised bar that appears between the letters B and E of LIBERTY — resembling the letter "I" and creating what appears to read "LIBERTIY." LDB234-1993D-001 is an unusually extensive example from the 1993 Denver cent: the "LDB234" prefix indicates the die break spans positions 2, 3, and 4 in the Cuds on Coins LIBERTY Die Break numbering system, meaning the fracture extends across the zones between the letters I-B (position 2), B-E (position 3, the classic BIE location), and E-R (position 4). A break spanning three positions is substantially larger than a typical single-position BIE, which usually manifests as a narrow vertical bar confined between just two adjacent letters. The multi-position span of LDB234 suggests significant die deterioration had occurred before this variety was struck — the fracture propagated laterally through the die steel connecting what might have started as separate stress points between individual letters. Cataloged on August 6, 2020, this variety was a relatively late addition to the 1993-D BIE census. Collectors examining candidates should look for a raised area that extends noticeably wider than the standard BIE bar, potentially affecting portions of the letters themselves rather than just the space between them.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Robert Oney
• Cross references: none. 08/06/2020.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References