2007P-1DER-002WS Trail Die Reverse

Description

Cataloged by the Trail Dies project, the 2007P-1DER-002WS is a trail die reverse variety found on a 2007 Philadelphia Mint Lincoln Memorial cent, discovered by Patrick Gaughan of Pennsylvania. The Lincoln Memorial cent, featuring Frank Gasparro's Memorial reverse in production from 1959 through 2008, was struck in copper-plated zinc composition weighing 2.5 grams with a 19 mm diameter. Trail die varieties occur when a working die makes unintended contact with another die or hub during handling or storage, transferring faint impressions of design elements onto its surface. These transferred impressions then appear as repeatable anomalies on every coin struck by that die, distinguishing them from random striking errors. This specimen is documented at Stage A in early die state (EDS). The obverse shows no significant markers in this early stage, while the reverse in early die state displays a small die dot in the O of ONE and die gouges under the A of STATES. These reverse die markers serve as critical attribution diagnostics when examining candidate coins. The WS suffix in the variety designation indicates a specific sub-classification within the trail die catalog system. Patrick Gaughan's discovery of this variety in Pennsylvania represents the kind of careful circulation searching and roll hunting that drives modern variety discovery. The year 2007 was the penultimate year of the Lincoln Memorial cent reverse, as the 2009 Bicentennial reverses and 2010 Shield reverse would soon replace Gasparro's iconic design. Philadelphia's massive cent production in 2007 required extensive die usage, and the volume of die handling inherent in such large-scale operations increases the probability of the incidental contact events that create trail die varieties.

Die Markers

• Stage “A”, obverse is EDS – none noted
• Reverse is EDS – small die dot in the O of ONE. Die gouges under the A of STATES.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Patrick Gaughan
• Expert attribution by Trail Dies

External References