LDB4-1956-001B BIE Die Break

Description

Cataloged by Cuds on Coins and cross-referenced as Cohen 56-B634 and Hardy 56P-4F+ (Not Listed), this BIE die break on the 1956 Lincoln Wheat Cent represents the second of two documented stage progressions under the LDB4-1956-001 designation, now advanced to include a die crack extending from the rim to the right wheat stalk. BIE die breaks are a distinctive category of die failure specific to Lincoln Cents, where a vertical bar of raised metal appears between the letters B, I, and E in LIBERTY — most commonly between the B and E, filling the gap where die metal has fractured and been displaced upward by striking pressure. The "4F+" Hardy Index classification indicates a break that is flush with the highest and lowest levels of the surrounding letters, meaning the BIE bar rises to approximately the same height as the tops of the B and E rather than protruding above them or sitting recessed below — a die state measurement that reflects the geometry of the fracture plane and the degree of metal displacement at the time of striking. As a Stage B specimen within the LDB4-1956-001 progression, this die has advanced beyond its initial BIE break state to develop a secondary crack running from the rim toward the right wheat ear on the reverse, documenting the progressive deterioration of the die as continued striking pressure propagated fractures outward from the original failure zone. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 95% copper / 5% tin-zinc composition, the 1956 Wheat Cent was part of the series' final years before the Memorial reverse debuted in 1959. Collectors seeking this variety should examine the LIBERTY area under 5x magnification for the characteristic vertical bar and then confirm the rim-to-wheat crack on the reverse.

Attribution History

• Discovered by JC Stevens
• Cross references: Cohen 56-B634, Hardy 56P-4F+Not Listed.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References