LDB6-1953-001D BIE Die Break

Description

Designated with the unusual LDB6 prefix rather than the more common LDB4, this BIE die break on a 1953 Philadelphia Mint Lincoln Wheat Cent was documented at Hardy position 6 — a different location within the LIBERTY area than the position 4 breaks that dominate BIE catalogs. Cross-referenced as Cohen 53-B1107 and Hardy 53P-ALRT+, this variety was documented on October 14, 2016, by Cuds on Coins. The Cohen B1107 number places this deep within the comprehensive Lincoln cent die break numbering system, while the Hardy 53P-ALRT+ code identifies both the date-mintmark and the specific break position relative to the LIBERTY letters. The "D" suffix in the catalog number 001D may indicate a sub-variety or die state distinction. BIE die breaks at position 6 form through the same fundamental mechanism as those at position 4 — fatigue failure of the thin die steel ridge between incuse letter cavities — but their occurrence at a different inter-letter position reflects a distinct stress concentration pattern within the LIBERTY inscription. The 1953 Philadelphia Mint Wheat Cent was produced in substantial quantities, and as an unmarked (no mintmark) Philadelphia issue, it represents the primary production facility's output for that year. Position 6 BIE breaks are documented less frequently than position 4 breaks in the overall Lincoln cent catalog, making each example noteworthy for researchers studying the distribution of die failures across different zones of the LIBERTY inscription.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Pete Apple
• Cross references: Cohen Cohen 53-B1107, Hardy 53P-ALRT+. 10/14/2016.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References