1996P-1DER-023WS Trail Die Reverse

Description

Cataloged by Trail Dies as 1996P-1DER-023WS, this Philadelphia Mint Lincoln Memorial Cent exhibits a trail die reverse — a type of die variety created when the die drifts or bounces during the hubbing process, leaving a faint secondary impression that trails away from the primary design elements. Unlike doubled dies where two distinct hub impressions overlap, trail dies produce elongated or streaked doubling that fades as it moves away from the source design. Die stage documentation places this specimen at Stage C, where the obverse has reached Mid Die State with no significant markers observed, while the reverse has progressed to Late Die State. Reverse LDS diagnostics include a long die scratch extending from the D of UNITED to the U of UNUM and die scratches passing through both ONE and CENT — accumulated die wear markers that help distinguish this particular working die from others in the 1996 Philadelphia production run. The 1996 Lincoln Memorial Cent was struck in copper-plated zinc composition (97.5% zinc, 2.5% copper) at 2.50 grams on 19mm planchets, featuring Victor David Brenner's Lincoln portrait on the obverse and Frank Gasparro's Lincoln Memorial on the reverse. Trail die varieties are cataloged separately from standard doubled dies to reflect their distinct mechanism of formation.

Die Markers

• Stage “C”, obverse is MDS – none observed.
• Reverse is LDS – long die scratch from the D of UNITED to the U of UNUM. Die scratches through ONE and CENT.

External References