2008P-1DEO-008T Trail Die Obverse

Description

Discovered by Louis Schaeffer, the 2008P-1DEO-008T trail die obverse on the Philadelphia Mint Lincoln Memorial Cent documents vestiges of a prior hub impression on the obverse working die. Observed at Stage C with the obverse at late die state, the advanced deterioration indicates this specimen comes from near the end of the die pair's production life when accumulated stress had significantly progressed. Trail die varieties preserve faint secondary design traces from incomplete hubbing or from a previous hub impression that was not fully obliterated during die preparation. The 2008 date marks the final year of Frank Gasparro's Memorial reverse, which had appeared on Lincoln Cents since 1959, making trail die varieties from this terminal year particularly notable as last-issue documentation. Victor David Brenner's Lincoln portrait on the obverse provides the design framework where the prior hub traces appear as subtle secondary impressions. Cataloged by Trail Dies, the LDS classification at Stage C documents the die's advanced condition, and Schaeffer's discovery adds to the census of trail die varieties found on this last-year-of-issue Philadelphia Memorial Cent.

Die Markers

• Stage “C”, obverse is LDS – none noted.
• Reverse is LDS – small die gouge under the left leg of the A in STATES. Die cracks are seen in the upper parts of columns 2, 3 and 4.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Louis Schaeffer
• Expert attribution by Trail Dies

External References