LDB6-1996D-001 BIE Die Break

Description

Struck one year after the famous 1995 doubled die obverse brought unprecedented public attention to Lincoln Cent varieties, this 1996-D Memorial Cent preserves a BIE die break at position 6 — the outermost location in the letter die break classification. Cataloged as LDB6-1996D-001, the variety carries Hardy Index cross-reference 95D-6SBHM, a designation that references the 1995-D Hardy entry and reflects a cataloging cross-reference between the two dates. Position 6 die breaks are uncommon across all Lincoln Cent dates, and their occurrence on a Denver Mint issue from the mid-1990s adds a data point to the broader study of where inter-letter fractures develop on the Brenner obverse. The copper-plated zinc planchets of this era presented dies with a different striking surface than the bronze composition used before 1982, and the resulting wear patterns influenced both the frequency and morphology of die breaks. LDB6-1996D-001 stands as the sole documented example at this position for the 1996-D date, suggesting either genuine scarcity or limited examination by researchers focused on dates with denser BIE populations. No additional cross-references are currently listed.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Vivien Bullard
• Cross reference: Hardy Index 95D-6SBHM. 07/17/2018.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References