1996 (P) Lincoln Memorial Cent - P-1DER-036T Trail Die Reverse

Description

1996P-1DER-036T shows trails and some distortion along the tops of the motto's letters, with more lines on three letters of STATES (S, A, E) and on MER in AMERICA, all at 330°, north-northwest. Its code covers a 1996-P cent, reverse design extension (DER), file 036, trails (T). TrailDies warns that several dies of these years share the 330° direction and points to the markers. At the late state, horizontal scratches cross LIBERTY and the date, heavy scratches sit low in bays 2 and 3, and more run below the base, heaviest across ONE's O and N and CENT's T. At a very late reverse state the obverse die had been replaced; the new early-state obverse has a dot below the R of LIBERTY and a scratch at the lower left of the 6. The accepted account puts trails down to rotary polishing of the die; an alternative view credits the die moving against the hub.

Die Markers

• Stage “C”, obverse is LDS – horizontal die scratching is seen through LIBERTY and the date.
• Reverse is LDS – heavy die scratches are seen in the bottom of bays 2 and 3. Horizontal die scratching is seen below the Memorial building base with the heaviest seen through the ON of ONE and the T of CENT.
• Stage “D”, obverse is EDS – obverse die has been changed. A die dot is seen in the field below the R of LIBERTY. A die scratch is seen on the lower left side of the 6 digit in the date.
• Reverse is VLDS – same as the LDS stage.

External References