LDB3-1945D-001 BIE Die Break

Description

Struck from wartime shell-casing brass — recycled cartridge cases repurposed for cent production because copper was critical to the Allied war effort — this 1945 Denver Mint Lincoln Wheat Cent carries a BIE die break at position 3, distinguishing it from the far more common position 4 varieties. BIE die breaks are small vertical cracks that develop in the die between the letters B and E of LIBERTY, filling with metal during striking to create a raised bar resembling the letter I. The position 3 designation (LDB3) places this break at a different location along the LIBERTY inscription than the standard position 4, making it an inherently less common variety type. Hardy Index 45D-3SCL decodes the break's precise characteristics: the "3" confirms position 3, "SC" indicates a small center formation, and "L" specifies left orientation within that zone. This variety is not listed in the Cohen Index, leaving it as a Hardy-only attribution — a status that may reflect either its relative obscurity or the ongoing nature of Cohen cataloging efforts. Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, the sole documented LDB3 for the 1945-D date represents an unusual positional variant on a wartime composition cent from Denver's massive mid-1940s production run.

Attribution History

• Discovered by JC Stevens
• Cross reference: Cohen Not Listed, Hardy 45D-3SCL. 01/29/2017.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References