LDB5-1956-001B Die Break

Description

Cataloged under Hardy 56P-SEL1 with Cohen number 56-B1008, this 1956 Proof Lincoln Wheat Cent die break is classified at the LDB5 level — a higher tier in the Hardy framework than the LDB4 varieties that dominate the 1957 Proof series. The SEL designation stands for south edge lateral, identifying a fracture that initiated along the southern rim of the die and extended laterally into the design field, a directional specificity the Hardy system uses to map where each break originated. The numeral 1 following SEL indicates this is the first documented south edge lateral break for the 1956 Proof date. The B suffix denotes a sub-variety, meaning this specimen represents a distinct die state within the broader SEL1 classification — likely a later stage of the same fracture or a slightly different expression of the break. Cohen 56-B1008 places this variety in the extensive Cohen catalog of Lincoln Cent die breaks. The 1956 Proof Wheat Cent was produced exclusively at Philadelphia, and die breaks on these carefully manufactured coins document the limits of even the most meticulously prepared dies.

Attribution History

• Discovered by JC Stevens
• Cross references: Cohen 56-B1008, Hardy 56P-SEL1. 08/17/205.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References