LDB3-1993D-001 BIE Die Break

Description

Cross-referenced in the Hardy Index as 93D 3-CM, LDB3-1993D-001 is a classic single-position BIE die break on the 1993 Denver Lincoln Memorial cent. The "LDB3" prefix identifies the break at position 3 in the LIBERTY Die Break system — the zone between the letters B and E, which is the defining location for the BIE variety that gives the entire category its name. The Hardy Index code "93D 3-CM" encodes additional detail: "93D" identifies the year and Denver mint, "3" confirms position 3, and "CM" denotes the die state classification within Hardy's system. The Hardy Index, maintained as an independent cross-reference catalog for Lincoln cent BIE varieties, provides an alternative attribution framework that some collectors and dealers prefer for its systematic die-state documentation. BIE breaks form when the die steel between two closely spaced incuse letters develops a fatigue crack that eventually causes a small bridge of metal to separate from the die face. The void fills with planchet metal during striking, producing the characteristic raised vertical bar. Because the letters of LIBERTY are incised into the die as depressions, the thin walls of steel between them are structurally vulnerable — essentially narrow ridges subjected to repeated compressive force from both sides. Cataloged on July 17, 2018, this variety represents one of the documented BIE occurrences for the 1993 Denver date.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Vivien Bullard
• Cross reference: Hardy Index 93D 3-CM. 07/17/2018.
• Expert attribution by Cuds on Coins

External References