Fracture
Fracture. An unintended separation of a metal; a crack or break of surface metal. Cast metal particularly can be easily fractured, machined metal less so. However a fracture can occur on the face of a steel die and all pieces struck from a die in that state will exhibit a diebreak. With continued use of such a die, the fracture will lengthen and deepen, exhibiting a larger and longer diebreak on successive strikes.
excerpted with permission from
An Encyclopedia of Coin and Medal Technology
For Artists, Makers, Collectors and Curators
COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY D. WAYNE JOHNSON
Roger W. Burdette, Editor