LDB4-1956-016 BIE Die Break

Description

Attributed in both major catalogs as Cohen 56-B507 and Hardy 56P-4FL+, this 1956 Philadelphia Lincoln Wheat Cent BIE die break occupies the fourth space in LIBERTY as a full break extending leftward. The position code 4FL+ indicates a complete vertical crack spanning the full height of the letter gap with extension beyond the primary fracture zone. Extensive die markers accompany this variety: the obverse displays a die crack and chip on the coat, a die break at the skull, and a die chip at the throat, while the reverse carries a die chip on the T in CENT and E in ONE alongside die breaks and a chip on both wheat stalks. This concentration of damage across multiple elements indicates a die retained far beyond normal service life. The 1956 Philadelphia Wheat Cent was produced during the series' penultimate year before the 1958 reverse design change. That both the Cohen and Hardy systems catalog this variety reflects its established status within BIE scholarship. The full break designation distinguishes this from semi breaks found on the 1955-D companion varieties.

Attribution History

• Discovered by JC Stevens
• Cross references: Cohen 56-B507, Hardy 56P-4FL+.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References