2007D-1DEO-002T Trail Die Obverse

Description

A trail die variety occurs during the die-manufacturing process when a partially finished die receives an impression from a hub that is slightly misaligned or rotated, leaving faint ghost images of design elements transferred from an adjacent or overlapping impression. On this 2007-D Lincoln Memorial cent, the trail die effect appears at a 190-degree rotation, producing light trail lines extending from the R and Y of LIBERTY along with typical distortion on the B and E of LIBERTY — hallmarks of a hub-to-die contact anomaly during production at the Denver Mint. The substantial 190-degree rotation means the ghost images appear nearly inverted relative to the normal design orientation. Die markers include an obverse in Early Die State with no additional markers noted, while the reverse — also EDS — carries a small die dent on the left top of column 3 of the Lincoln Memorial. This variety was discovered by Bill Slaughter, who identified the trail lines and distortion pattern as consistent with a manufacturing-stage anomaly rather than a strike error. Trail dies are scarce collectibles because they document the die-making process itself rather than the striking process.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Bill Slaughter
• Expert attribution by Trail Dies

External References