LDB1-1966-001 BIE Die Break

Description

Cataloged under the Lincoln Die Break system as LDB1-1966-001, this variety documents a BIE die break on a 1966 Lincoln cent. BIE die breaks are among the most recognizable and widely collected die deterioration errors on Lincoln cents: they occur when a die crack or die chip between the letters B and E in LIBERTY fills with planchet metal during striking, creating the appearance of an extra letter — specifically, a vertical bar resembling the letter "I" — between the B and E. The result is that LIBERTY appears to read "BIELIBERTY" or, more precisely, the word seems to contain an extraneous vertical stroke positioned between B and E. The LDB prefix stands for Lincoln Die Break, a systematic cataloging framework that organizes die break varieties by their position relative to the letters of LIBERTY. The numeral 1 in LDB1 designates the specific position category within this system. The classification code 1FH+ accompanying this variety indicates a die break measuring full height plus — meaning the break extends the full height of the adjacent letters and then some, producing a particularly prominent and visually striking extra bar. Full-height BIE breaks are generally more desirable to collectors than shorter breaks because they more closely resemble an actual letter, enhancing the visual novelty that drives collector interest in this variety type. Cross-referenced as LDB1-1966-001 1FH+. The 1966 cent was struck at the Philadelphia Mint without mint marks under the Coinage Act of 1965, from the year's production of 2,188,147,783 business strikes. Struck on a 3.11-gram, 19mm planchet of 95% copper and 5% zinc.

Attribution History

• Cross reference number: LDB1-1966-001 1FH+.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References