2004P(TX)-25DEO-001T Trail Die Obverse

Description

Documented in the Trail Dies catalog, the 2004P(TX)-25DEO-001T is a trail die obverse variety found on the 2004 Philadelphia Mint Texas State Quarter. Trail die varieties arise when a die receives an unintended secondary contact during die manufacturing, setup, or installation procedures, imparting a faint offset ghost impression of the design that appears beneath or alongside the primary fully-struck design on subsequently produced coins. On this Texas quarter's obverse, Washington's portrait and surrounding inscriptions carry the characteristic shifted secondary image that defines trail die classification. Die marker documentation identifies Stage "B" at mid-die-state (MDS) with the obverse showing a die crack in the base of the bust of Washington that extends partially into the field — a progressive structural failure originating at the high-stress transition point between the portrait's truncation and the surrounding field. The reverse at MDS displays a die dent in the field to the right of the upper right arm of the star in the Texas reverse design. The Texas State Quarter reverse, designed by Norman E. Nemeth, features a large lone star superimposed over the outline of the state, along with the inscription "The Lone Star State" and a lariat rope border — iconic Texas imagery that was the 28th issue in the 50 State Quarters Program. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint in copper-nickel clad composition (8.33% nickel, 91.67% copper) weighing 5.67 grams with a 24.3 mm diameter, the bust crack on the obverse and die dent near the star on the reverse provide dual-side attribution markers. Trail die varieties on State Quarters are systematically documented across the 50-state series, and each state's unique reverse design creates different opportunities for trail die events to interact with state-specific design elements.

Die Markers

• Stage "B", obverse is MDS – a die crack is seen in the base of the bust of Washington that extends partially into the field.
• Reverse is MDS – a die dent is seen in the field, to the right of the upper right arm of the star.

External References