2003D-1DEO-001T Trail Die Obverse

Description

An uncommon trail die obverse variety cataloged by Trail Dies on a 2003 Denver Lincoln Memorial Cent, 2003D-1DEO-001T features the ghost-image overlay on the obverse rather than the reverse, making it less commonly encountered than trail die reverse varieties in the Lincoln Cent series. Trail die obverses occur when residual design impressions from a previously used obverse die transfer onto a new working die, superimposing faint secondary elements over the primary portrait and legends. Documented at Stage B, the obverse is in mid die state and displays a series of small die gouges around the date and mint mark area. The reverse is also in mid die state with die cracks showing on columns 1 and 2 of the Memorial facade. The die cracks on the first two columns indicate progressive stress fractures developing in the reverse die, and their positions near the left edge of the colonnade provide reliable authentication markers. The concentration of die gouges around the date and D mint mark on the obverse offers a quick preliminary identification before confirming the trail die overlay characteristics under higher magnification.

Die Markers

• Stage “B” – Obverse is MDS – A series of small die gouges around the date and mintmark.
• Reverse is MDS – Die cracks show on columns 1 and 2.

External References