1994D-10DER-001T Trail Die Reverse

Description

Cataloged by Trail Dies as 1994D-10DER-001T, this trail die reverse variety was struck at the Denver Mint on a 1994 Roosevelt dime, making it one of the less commonly encountered denominations in the trail die catalog, which tends to be dominated by Lincoln cent varieties. The coin is part of the Roosevelt Dimes Clad and Silver Proof 1965 to Date series, struck in the standard copper-nickel clad composition, weighing 2.27 grams with a 17.9 mm diameter. This specimen is documented at Stage C, a late die state, with the obverse showing short die scratches running from Roosevelt's upper lip to his lower lip, a clear indicator of advanced die wear. The reverse diagnostic at late die state is a die scratch just to the left of the E in ONE. Trail die varieties on dimes are particularly challenging to detect due to the coin's small size, requiring magnification of 10x or greater to identify the characteristic ghost impressions that define this variety type. John R. Sinnock's obverse portrait of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, introduced in 1946, and the reverse featuring a torch flanked by olive and oak branches provide the design framework within which trail die anomalies manifest. The Roosevelt dime series has been in continuous production since 1946, making it the longest-running current design in American coinage, and varieties like this trail die add depth to what might otherwise be considered a utilitarian circulating denomination.

Die Markers

• Stage “C”, obverse is LDS – short die scratches from Roosevelt’s upper lip to his lower lip.
• Reverse is LDS – die scratch just to the left of the E in ONE.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Bill Slaughter
• Expert attribution by Trail Dies

External References