1993D-1DER-006WS Trail Die Reverse

Description

Two small die gouges above the button hole on Lincoln's coat make the 006WS obverse immediately recognizable — an unusual anatomical landmark most collectors never notice. Brenner's 1909 design depicts Lincoln in a formal coat with a single visible button hole on the lapel, and this tiny detail sits in a relatively featureless area of the die, so any gouge nearby stands out under magnification. A third die gouge behind Lincoln's head provides additional confirmation. The reverse presents light step deviation under columns 5, 6, and 7 at a 180-degree offset. At Stage C late die state, this die had seen considerable service, yet the reverse shows no notable markers beyond the trail die phenomenon itself — a contrast with other late-die-state entries that accumulated cracks, chips, and gouges as their steel fatigued. The absence of reverse deterioration on a Stage C die suggests either that this steel resisted breakdown unusually well, or that the die was retired after routine inspection revealed the lateral seating instability producing the trail die effect. Struck at Denver on copper-plated zinc planchets, 2.5 grams, 19mm, plain edge.

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