2002D-1DER-003T Trail Die Reverse

Description

Cataloged by Trail Dies as 2002D-1DER-003T, this Denver Mint Lincoln Memorial Cent exhibits a trail die reverse variety. Trail dies are created when a working die develops linear raised features caused by metal flow during the striking process, leaving distinctive trails on the struck coins. This die was found by Bob Piazza of Florida. In Stage B, the obverse is in mid-die state with a series of small die gouges to the east and south of LIBERTY. The reverse is also in mid-die state with die damage in the form of striations from the rim through the ST of STATES. These striations are the defining characteristic of the trail die variety, documenting the directional metal flow pattern that developed on this particular die. Struck in zinc-coated copper composition adopted in 1982, the 2002-D Lincoln Memorial Cent carries Victor David Brenner's obverse portrait and Frank Gasparro's Memorial reverse, a design pairing that was in its final years before being replaced by the 2009 bicentennial reverses. Trail die varieties have gained increasing collector recognition as a distinct category of die deterioration.

Die Markers

• Stage “B”, Obverse is MDS – a series of small die gouges to the east and south of LIBERTY.
• Reverse is MDS – Die damage (striations) from the rim and through  the ST of STATES.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Bob Piazza
• Expert attribution by Trail Dies

External References