LDB4-2005D-002 BIE Die Break Cent

Description

A second BIE die break at position 4 on the 2005 Philadelphia Lincoln Memorial Cent confirms that inter-letter fractures persisted even in the modern era of improved die steel. Cataloged as LDB4-2005D-002 with Hardy Index designation 4BLM, this variety differs from LDB4-2005D-001 in both the specific morphology of the break — encoded by the "BLM" suffix — and the unique die markers identifying the working die on which it occurred. The Hardy system's suffix codes allow researchers to distinguish between breaks that occupy the same positional zone but differ in shape, extent, or orientation, enabling precise attribution even when multiple varieties share a location code. Lincoln Memorial Cents from 2005 were struck in copper-plated zinc, a composition adopted in 1982 that placed different stress demands on dies compared to the earlier bronze alloy. With only three production years remaining before the Memorial design's retirement in 2008, BIE varieties from 2005 represent some of the last examples of a phenomenon that has fascinated Lincoln Cent specialists since the mid-twentieth century. No additional cross-references beyond the Hardy Index are currently listed.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Robert Oney
• Cross reference: Hardy Index 4BLM. 05/17/2021.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References