1987P-1DER-003WS Trail Die Reverse

Description

Heavy die scratching dominates both faces of 1987P-1DER-003WS on the 1987 Philadelphia Lincoln Memorial cent, with Stage B at mid-die state revealing a die pair that had accumulated substantial surface scoring by the time the trail die characteristics were documented. The obverse carries diagonal die scratches through the date — a bold marker set that crosses multiple digits and provides an unmistakable visual signature under even moderate magnification. The reverse compounds this with heavy die scratches through ONE and CENT and under the right base of the Memorial, distributing surface damage across two legend words and an architectural element. This density of scratching at mid-die state — rather than late die state — suggests the dies may have been subjected to aggressive polishing or resurfacing that introduced the scoring, or that debris in the striking chamber scored the die faces during normal operation. Wide spread trail die effects on the reverse interact with this scratching in a way that can challenge attributors: the directional component of the trail-induced distortion must be distinguished from the directional patterns of the die scratches, requiring careful evaluation of whether observed design displacement follows the systematic geometry of a hub shift or the more irregular trajectories of mechanical abrasion. Struck at Philadelphia (no mint mark) on copper-plated zinc planchets (97.5% zinc, 2.5% copper) at 2.5 grams and 19mm, from the 1987 mintage of 4,682,466,931 cents.

Die Markers

• Stage “B”, obverse is MDS – diagonal die scratches through date.
• Reverse is MDS – heavy die scratches through ONE and CENT and under right base .

External References