LDB5-1955-001B BIE Die Break

Description

Cataloged by Cuds on Coins, this 1955 Lincoln Wheat Cent BIE die break features a raised vertical bar between B and E of LIBERTY resembling the letter I. Cross-referenced as Cohen 55-B1005 and Hardy 55P-5SBL+1. The variety progresses through multiple stages: Stage 1 (Cohen 55-B1004) with a die crack joining ER, a crack at the top of the head, and a die chip on T in CENT; Stage 2 (Cohen 55-B1005) adds a second die crack on the forehead; Stage 3 (Cohen 55-B1009) extends that crack into the field. BIE die breaks are among the most popular Lincoln Cent specialties because the accidental letter formation is immediately recognizable. At 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc, 3.11 grams and 19.05 mm, the 1955 Wheat Cent represents the final years before the 1959 Memorial reverse.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Earl M
• Cross references: Cohen 55-B1005, Hardy 55P-5SBL+1. 06/13/2016.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References