LDB4-1957-014 Die Break

Description

Fourteenth in the sequence of die breaks documented on 1957 Proof Lincoln Wheat Cents, LDB4-1957-014 records yet another instance of die fracture within the Philadelphia Mint's final-era Wheat Cent proof production. The Hardy reference 57P-4FL+ indicates this break occurs in the fourth field level area, consistent with a pattern of field-area fractures observed across multiple 1957 proof dies. Cross-referenced as Cohen Pending, this variety was cataloged on July 31, 2015 by Cuds on Coins — over a year before the 018 and 020 breaks in the same series were documented, suggesting die break discoveries on 1957 proofs have continued steadily over multiple years. The 1957 proof Lincoln Wheat Cent represents the penultimate year of Victor David Brenner's beloved Wheat Ears reverse design, with 1958 being the final year before Frank Gasparro's Memorial reverse took over. Philadelphia produced 1,247,952 proof sets in 1957, each containing a cent struck from specially prepared dies at elevated pressure. The concentration of fourteen or more documented die breaks within a single proof date raises questions about whether proof die preparation techniques in the late 1950s may have introduced stress risers that promoted fracture initiation, or whether the focused attention of variety researchers has simply documented breaks at a rate proportional to their actual occurrence.

Attribution History

• Discovered by JC Stevens
• Cross references: Cohen Pending, Hardy 57P-4FL+. 07/31/2015.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References