2007P-1DER-009T Trail Die Reverse

Description

Discovered by Bill Slaughter, the 2007P-1DER-009T Trail Die Reverse documents a trail die variety on a 2007-P Lincoln Memorial Cent. Trail dies are a specialized class of mint error where a secondary impression of the design appears as a faint, ghostly duplicate slightly offset from the primary image — the result of the die bouncing or chattering during the striking process, creating a trail-like shadow of the design elements. This particular variety is documented at Stage B, with the obverse in Mid Die State (MDS) showing a die crack with a small die chip in Lincoln's hair, and the reverse also in MDS with no significant additional markers beyond the trail die effect itself. The pairing of a trail die reverse with a die crack and chip on the obverse suggests this die pair was well into its production life when the trail die phenomenon occurred, as both the crack and the chip indicate accumulated mechanical stress. The Lincoln Memorial Cent reverse, designed by Frank Gasparro in 1959, depicts the Lincoln Memorial building with its columned facade — an architectural design where trail die effects can create distinctive doubled column lines and shifted architectural details. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint in copper-plated zinc composition (2.5 grams, 19.05 mm diameter), the 2007-P cent was among the final Lincoln Memorial reverse issues before the 2009 Bicentennial designs and the 2010 Shield reverse replaced Gasparro's iconic building scene. Trail die varieties represent a mechanical anomaly in the striking process rather than a die manufacturing defect.

Die Markers

• Stage “B”, obverse is MDS – die crack with a small die chip in Lincoln’s hair.
• Reverse is MDS – none noted.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Bill Slaughter
• Expert attribution by Trail Dies

External References