2008P-1DEO-015T Trail Die Obverse

Description

Documented in the Trail Dies catalog and discovered by Robert Pelletier, the 2008P-1DEO-015T is a trail die obverse variety found on the 2008 Philadelphia Mint Lincoln Memorial Cent. Trail dies represent a specialized category of die variety where a faint secondary impression of the design appears offset from the primary, resulting from an unintended secondary contact during die manufacturing, setup, or test-strike procedures. Die marker documentation identifies Stage "B" at mid-die-state (MDS): the obverse shows a small die scratch and gouge in the N of IN, while the reverse exhibits two separate die cracks in the top of column 2 and a die crack in the cornice above bay two. The reverse die cracks — occurring in two distinct locations within the Memorial's architectural detail — document progressive structural failure that helps establish the relative timing of specimens within this variety's production run. The Lincoln Memorial Cent in its final year of 2008 was designed by Frank Gasparro for the reverse, depicting the Lincoln Memorial with its twelve columns and seated Lincoln statue, and Victor David Brenner for the obverse portrait. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint in copper-plated zinc (97.5% zinc, 2.5% copper) weighing 2.50 grams with a 19.05 mm diameter, the 2008 cent was the last year of the Memorial reverse before the 2009 Lincoln Bicentennial designs. Robert Pelletier's discovery of this trail die variety contributed to the Trail Dies reference catalog's systematic documentation of these specialized die anomalies across denominations and dates. The Stage B MDS classification indicates specimens from this variety show moderate die wear characteristics on both faces, placing them in the middle segment of the die's total service life.

Die Markers

• Stage “B“, obverse is MDS – a small die scratch and gouge are seen in the N of IN.
• Reverse is MDS – two separate die cracks are seen in the top of column 2. A die crack is seen in the cornice above bay two.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Robert Pelletier
• Expert attribution by Trail Dies

External References