LDB4-1954S-001A BIE Die Break

Description

Cataloged by Cuds on Coins as LDB4-1954S-001A, this BIE die break variety appears on the 1954-S Lincoln Wheat cent struck at the San Francisco Mint. BIE die breaks are among the most popular minor die varieties in the Lincoln cent series, occurring when a die crack or break develops between the letters B and E of LIBERTY, creating what appears to be a raised capital letter I in the gap. This particular specimen is cross-referenced as Cohen 54S-B618 and Hardy 54S-4F+, where the "F+" designation indicates a full break that extends both above the highest level and below the lowest level of the adjacent letters, representing a more advanced stage of die deterioration than partial BIE breaks. The 1954-S cent was struck in the standard 95% copper, 5% tin-and-zinc composition, weighing 3.11 grams with a 19 mm diameter. San Francisco produced 96,190,000 cents in 1954, providing a substantial population from which die break varieties could emerge. BIE varieties are a subset of the broader die break category and are unique to Lincoln cents because of the specific spacing and font characteristics of the word LIBERTY on Victor David Brenner's obverse design. The lettering placement creates a natural stress point in the die steel between B and E, making this one of the most frequently encountered die variety types across the entire Lincoln cent series from 1909 to date.

Attribution History

• Discovered by JC Stevens
• Cross references: Cohen 54S-B618, Hardy 54S-4F+. 07/16/2015
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References