2010P-1DEO-008T Trail Die Obverse

Description

Documented in the Trail Dies catalog and discovered by Jason Dick, the 2010P-1DEO-008T is a trail die obverse variety found on the 2010 Philadelphia Mint Lincoln Shield Cent. Trail dies represent a specialized class of die variety where a faint secondary impression of the design appears offset from the primary design, caused when a die receives an unintended secondary contact during manufacturing or installation. Die stage "C" is documented, with the obverse in late die state (LDS) showing two small die chips in Lincoln's head under the W of WE — deterioration markers that help identify specimens from this advanced production phase. The reverse is also in LDS, displaying a die crack running from the top middle of the shield, through the E of STATES, and onto the rim — a progressive fracture documenting structural failure in the reverse die's late service life. The Lincoln Shield Cent, introduced in 2010 as the permanent replacement for the 2009 Bicentennial designs, features a Union shield on the reverse designed by Lyndall Bass, symbolizing Lincoln's preservation of the United States as a single nation. Victor David Brenner's iconic obverse portrait continues from the original 1909 design. Struck in copper-plated zinc composition (97.5% zinc, 2.5% copper) weighing 2.50 grams with a 19.05 mm diameter, the 2010-P Shield Cent was the inaugural year of the new design. Trail die varieties are systematically cataloged as a distinct specialty within error and variety collecting, with each entry assigned a standardized alphanumeric code indicating the denomination, date, mint, and whether the trail appears on the obverse or reverse — providing a structured framework for this relatively niche but actively collected variety type.

Die Markers

• Stage “C “, obverse is LDS – there are two small die chips in Lincoln’s head under the W of WE
• Reverse is LDS – a die crack is seen from the top middle of the shield, through the E of STATES and onto the rim.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Jason Dick
• Expert attribution by Trail Dies

External References