1996D-1DEO-003T Trail Die Obverse

Description

Discovered by Bob Piazza and attributed by Trail Dies, this trail die obverse on a 1996 Denver Mint Lincoln Memorial Cent documents die markers at Stage B. The obverse in mid die state shows a die gouge to the southeast of the second 9 in the date. The reverse, also in mid die state, displays a die gouge under a design element as a secondary attribution marker. A trail die forms when the hub and die are misaligned during the hubbing process, creating a partial secondary impression that trails across the die surface and transfers faint displaced design elements onto every coin subsequently struck. Trail die obverses on Lincoln Cents are less commonly reported than trail die reverses, making this third documented obverse trail die for the 1996-D date a noteworthy addition to the catalog. Struck on copper-plated zinc planchets at the Denver Mint, this cent carries Frank Gasparro's Lincoln Memorial reverse design. The mid die state classification on both sides indicates this die pair was documented at an intermediate point in its working life.

Die Markers

• Stage “B”, obverse is MDS – a die gouge is seen to the SE of the 2nd 9 in the date.
• Reverse is MDS – Die gouge under the E of AMERICA. Light N-S die scratches in all memorial bays as well as most of the reverse

Attribution History

• Discovered by Bob Piazza
• Expert attribution by Trail Dies

External References