LDB4 – 1955S Rev1
LDB4-1955S-001 4SBL+
Images Courtesy of JC Stevens
DIE MARKERS: OBVERSE – None Noted.
REVERSE – Die Breaks and Chips on both wheat stalks.
Cross references: Cohen 55S-B170, Hardy 55S-4BL+4.
LDB4-1955S-002A 4FL+
Images Courtesy of JC Stevens
DIE MARKERS: OBVERSE – None Noted.
REVERSE – None Noted.
Cross references: Cohen 55S-B610, Hardy 55S-4FL+7.
#1 of 3 stage progression.
In the 1969 edition of “THE CLASSIFICATION AND VALUE OF ERRORS ON THE LINCOLN CENT” by Jean Cohen she notes the 55S-B10 “BIE. Some coins may show light cracked skull”. She illustrates this crack on page 49. Thanks to Pete Apple and Louis A. West we now have examples of how a die changes and die markers change in its life cycle.
Stage 1, Cohen 55S-B10 No Die Crack found on skull.
Stage 2, Cohen 55S-B10 Die Crack on skull. Note: on the example below the first sign of a Die Chip forming in the lower loop of the Mintmark.
Stage 3, Cohen 55S-B10 A Die Chip in the lower loop of the Mintmark.
LDB4-1955S-002B 4FL+
Images Courtesy of Louis A. West
DIE MARKERS: OBVERSE – Die Crack on Skull, Start of a Die Chip on lower loop of Mintmark.
REVERSE – None Noted.
Cross references: Cohen 55S-B610, Hardy 55S-4FL+7.
#2 of 3 stage progression.
LDB4-1955S-002C 4FL+
Images Courtesy of Pete Apple
DIE MARKERS: OBVERSE – Die Crack on Skull, Die Chip on lower loop of Mintmark.
REVERSE – None Noted.
Cross references: Cohen 55S-B610, Hardy 55S-4FL+7.
#3 of 3 stage progression.
LDB4-1955S-003B 4FH+
Images Courtesy of Keith Christenson
DIE MARKERS: OBVERSE – Die Scratch on “R & U” in TRUST
REVERSE – None Noted.
Cross references: Cohen 55S-B601, Hardy 55S-4FH+.
#2 of 3 stage progression.
LDB4-1955S-003C 4FH+
Images Courtesy of JC Stevens
DIE MARKERS: OBVERSE –Die Scratch on “R & U” in TRUST is very light on stage 3.
REVERSE – None Noted.
Cross references: Cohen 55S-B601, Hardy 55S-4FH+.
#3 of 3 stage progression.
LDB4-1955S-004A 4F+
Images Courtesy of JC Stevens
DIE MARKERS: OBVERSE – None Noted.
REVERSE – Die scratches top of Right wheat & Die Chip right wheat stalk.
Cross references: Cohen 54S-B604, Hardy 54S-4F+2.
#1of 3 stage progression.
Images are needed for stage #2.
Stage 1, Cohen 55S-604 Die Chip Right Wheat
Stage 2, Cohen 55S-605 Die Crack Left Wheat
Stage 3, Cohen 55S-606 Die Crack Right Wheat
LDB4-1955S-004C 4F+
Images Courtesy of Louis A. West
DIE MARKERS: OBVERSE – None Noted.
REVERSE –Die scratches top of Right wheat, Die chip Right Wheat & Die Cracks from Rim to both Wheats.
Cross references: Cohen 54S-B606, Hardy 54S-4F+2 “later die state”.
LDB4-1955S-005 4FL+
Images Courtesy of JC Stevens
DIE MARKERS: OBVERSE – None Noted.
REVERSE – None Noted.
Cross references: Cohen Pending, Hardy 55S-4FL+4.
LDB4-1955S-006A 4DH+
Images Courtesy of John Smith “OBVERSE” & JC Stevens
DIE MARKERS: OBVERSE “A” – None Noted.
REVERSE “A” – Die Break Left Wheat, Die Crack Right Wheat to Rim, Die Chip last S in States.
Cross references: Cohen 55S-B906, Hardy 55S-4DH+2.
LBD4-1955S-006B 4DH+
Images are courtesy of Chuck Newman
Die Markers: Obverse – A die crack from the rim, through the designer’s initials and into Lincolns right shoulder.
Reverse: The die chip has turned into a cud. See CU-1c-1955S-05R
Cross references: Cohen 55S-B906, Hardy 55S-4DH+2.
LDB4-1955S-007B 4BL+
Images Courtesy of JC Stevens
DIE MARKERS: OBVERSE – Die Cracks on B in LIBERTY, Die Crack Coat, Die Dent from Rim to the left of TRUST.
REVERSE – None Noted.
Cross references: Cohen 55S-BA102, Hardy 55S-4BL+2.
#2 of 5 stage progression.
Note: Cohen shows Die Chips on the date in stages 3 to 5 for this die. None of the samples we have show these chips. The Die Dent from the Rim to the left of TRUST is noted on all 5 stages in Cohen’s listings.
Images are needed of the following stages.
Stage 1, Cohen 55S-BA101 No Die Cracks on lower B in LIBERTY.
Stage 5, Cohen 55S-BA107 Die Crack from Rim to Die Chip on Left Wheat.
LDB4-1955S-007C 4BL+
Images Courtesy of JC Stevens
DIE MARKERS: OBVERSE – Die Cracks longer on B in LIBERTY, Die Crack Coat, Die Dent from Rim to the left of TRUST.
REVERSE – None Noted.
Cross references: Cohen 55S-BA103, Hardy 55S-4BL+2.
#3 of 5 stage progression.
LDB4-1955S-007D 4BL+
Images Courtesy of Karah Sullivan
DIE MARKERS: OBVERSE – Die Cracks on B in LIBERTY, Die Crack Coat, Die Dent from Rim to the left of TRUST.
REVERSE – Die Chip on Left Wheat
Cross references: Cohen 55S-BA105, Hardy 55S-4BL+2.
#4 of 5 stage progression.
LDB4-1955S-008B 4BL+
Images Courtesy of John Smith
DIE MARKERS: OBVERSE – Break much larger than stage 1, Die Crack on Coat.
REVERSE – Die Cracks and Breaks on right Wheat.
Cross references: Cohen 55S-BA149, Hardy 55S-4BL+.
#2 of 2 stage progression.
LDB4-1955S-009A 4SBL+
Images Courtesy of JC Stevens
DIE MARKERS: OBVERSE – “NO” Die Chip on DATE.
REVERSE – Die Crack Right Wheat to RIM.
Cross references: Cohen 55S-BA153, Hardy 55S-4SBL+1.
#1 of 5 stage progression.
LDB4-1955S-009B 4SBL+
Images Courtesy of JC Stevens
DIE MARKERS: OBVERSE – Die Chip on DATE.
REVERSE – Die Crack Right Wheat to RIM.
Cross references: Cohen 55S-BA154, Hardy 55S-4SBL+1.
#2 of 5 stage progression.
LDB4-1955S-009C 4SBL+
Images Courtesy of JC Stevens
DIE MARKERS: OBVERSE – Die Chip on 9 of Date, Die scratches back of coat.
REVERSE – NOTE: “REVERSE DIE CHANGED” None Noted.
Cross references: Cohen 55S-BA155, Hardy 55S-4SBL+2.
#3 of 5 stage progression.
LDB4-1955S-009E 4SBL+
Images Courtesy of JC Stevens
DIE MARKERS: OBVERSE – Die Chips on 9 & 5 of Date, Die Crack 9 to Mint Mark, Die scratches back of coat.
REVERSE – None Noted.
Cross references: Cohen 55S-BA159, Hardy 55S-4SBL+3.
#5 of 5 stage progression.
LDB4-1955S-010
Images Courtesy of JC Stevens
DIE MARKERS: OBVERSE –None Noted.
REVERSE – None Noted.
Cross references: Cohen 55S-BA151, Hardy 55S-4SBL+.
LDB4-1955S-011A 4BL+
Images Courtesy of JC Stevens
DIE MARKERS: OBVERSE – Light Crack on Skull, “NO” Chip on DATE.
REVERSE – Die Chip tip of Right Wheat, A light crack may show in right wheat.
Cross references: Cohen 55S-BA114, Hardy 55S-4BL+1 .
#1 of 5 stage progression.
LDB4-1955S-011B 4BL+
Images Courtesy of JC Stevens
DIE MARKERS: OBVERSE – Die Break on Skull, “NO” Chip on DATE.
REVERSE – Die Chip tip of Right Wheat, Die Break Right Wheat.
Cross references: Cohen 55S-BA117, Hardy 55S-4BL+1 .
#2 of 5 stage progression.
LDB4-1955S-011C 4BL+
Images Courtesy of JC Stevens
DIE MARKERS: OBVERSE – Die Break on Skull, Die Chip 9 on Date.
REVERSE – Die Chip tip of Right Wheat, Die Breaks right wheat & Left Wheat.
Cross references: Cohen 55S-BA119, Hardy 55S-4BL+3 .
#3 of 5 stage progression.
LDB4-1955S-012 4F+
Images Courtesy of JC Stevens
DIE MARKERS: OBVERSE – None Noted.
REVERSE – Some may show die break on right wheat.
Cross references: Cohen 55S-B603, Hardy 55S-4F+.
LDB4-1955S-013B 4F+
Images Courtesy of Mark Shope
DIE MARKERS: OBVERSE – Die Chip on Date & Die Crack on head “may not show on well circulated coins”
REVERSE – See notes below.
Cross references: Cohen 55S-B650 , Hardy 55S-4F+9.
#2 of 2 stage progression.
Images are needed for stage #1.
Stage 1 Cohen 55S-BA143 Die Cracks between B & E in LIBERTY.
Stage 2 Cohen 55S-B650 “sausage BIE” Die Chip lower loop first 5 with a die Crack Below.
Note: Cohen 55S-BA140 may be the same obverse die with a different reverse die with many large die cracks.
LDB4-1955S-014A 4ALHB+
Images Courtesy of Earl M. Williams
DIE MARKERS: OBVERSE – None noted
REVERSE – Die Crack right wheat to rim.
Cross references: Cohen 55S-BA165 , Hardy 55S-ALHB+1.
#1 of 4 stage progression.
LDB4-1955S-015 4RLBE+
Images Courtesy of Earl M. Williams
DIE MARKERS: OBVERSE – None noted
REVERSE – None noted.
Cross references: Cohen 55S-BA110 , Hardy 55S-RLBE+1.
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