LDB4-1955D-011 BIE Die Break

Description

Carrying one of the most unusual position codes in the Hardy system — 55D-4SCH-1, denoting Small Center Head, variant 1 — this 1955 Denver Mint BIE die break stands apart from the standard directional positions that classify most varieties. The Small Center Head designation indicates the break appears small and is centered near Lincoln's head rather than in the typical interstitial space between LIBERTY's letters, giving this die a distinctive visual presentation. The "-1" suffix identifies it as the first sub-variant within the SCH position class, used when multiple breaks at the same position require further differentiation. Cohen Index 55D-B804 independently catalogs this die, and the high B-number suggests it was added to the Cohen catalog later in the sequence — well above the B400-B600 range occupied by the other Cohen-listed 1955-D dies in this batch. Both the unusual Hardy position and the elevated Cohen number mark this as a variety that drew catalogers' attention for its atypical presentation. Denver struck 563.3 million cents in 1955, but a Small Center Head break of this configuration makes die 011 a singular entry in the 1955-D BIE catalog.

Attribution History

• Discovered by JC Stevens
• Cross references: Cohen 55D-B804, Hardy 55D-4SCH-1. 10/05/2015.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References