1993P-1DER-034WS Trail Die Reverse

Description

Documented at Stage C in late die state (LDS), 1993P-1DER-034WS on the 1993 Philadelphia Lincoln Memorial cent features a particularly dramatic obverse die marker: a long die scratch running from Lincoln's coat and angling northeast to above the date. This trajectory sweeps from the lower-left portrait area upward across the obverse field, spanning a significant portion of the die face — likely caused by debris dragged across the die surface during maintenance or by tooling contact during die handling. Die scratches of this length serve as exceptionally strong attribution markers because their exact path and curvature are virtually impossible to replicate on another die. On the reverse, a small die gouge extends from the top of the Memorial roof under the letters NU of UNUM, placing the damage in the entablature area between the roofline and the inscribed motto. The late die state classification indicates both dies had seen substantial service. LDS trail die varieties are the most commonly encountered die stage because the mechanical tolerances that allow lateral die movement tend to worsen as press components wear, making trail line effects more pronounced as a die approaches the end of its service life.

Die Markers

• Stage “C”, obverse is LDS – long die scratch from Lincoln’s coat and angling northeast to above the DATE.
• Reverse is LDS – small die gouge from the top of the roof under the NU of UNUM.

External References