2004D-1DEO-001T Trail Die Obverse

Description

Discovered by Bob Piazza of Florida, the 2004-D Lincoln Memorial Cent 1DEO-001T is the first cataloged trail die obverse variety for the 2004-D date. Trail dies are a class of die error in which a working die shifts out of normal alignment or develops abnormal recession, causing design elements to trail faintly into adjacent field areas on struck coins. Two die stages are documented. Stage B — the mid-die state — is the most thoroughly described: on the obverse, a series of die gouges appears on Lincoln's shoulder; on the reverse, a die crack has developed and the beginnings of a large chip have formed in the upper first memorial bay, with additional die cracks running through the letters of E PLURIBUS UNUM. These 2004-D cents were struck at the Denver Mint on copper-plated zinc planchets with Frank Gasparro's Lincoln Memorial reverse. The Stage B shoulder gouges on the obverse and the emerging bay chip and motto cracks on the reverse provide the defining attribution markers for this first 2004-D trail die obverse entry.

Die Markers

• Stage “B”, Obverse is MDS – A series of die gouges on the shoulder.
• Reverse is MDS – A die crack and the beginnings of a large chip in the upper first memorial bay.  Die cracks run through the letters of the motto.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Bob Piazza
• Expert attribution by Trail Dies

External References