2010P-1DER-010T Trail Die Reverse

Description

Tenth cataloged trail die reverse for the 2010 Philadelphia Mint Lincoln Shield Cent, this variety documents a secondary ghosted impression visible on the reverse die that results from the trail die phenomenon. Trail dies occur when a die receives an impression from a previously used die or hub that leaves faint remnants of design elements offset from their correct positions, creating a subtle ghost image that appears on struck coins. Cataloged by Trail Dies with the designation 2010P-1DER-010T, the die marker documentation notes Stage B with the obverse at mid-die state (no significant markers noted) and the reverse also at mid-die state, where this die is mated with a specific obverse die partner. The 2010 Lincoln Shield Cent introduced Lyndall Bass's Union Shield reverse design, replacing the four rotating Bicentennial reverses used in 2009 and establishing the design that remains in production today. Trail die varieties are among the more esoteric categories of die varieties, requiring careful examination to distinguish the faint secondary impression from die deterioration, polishing lines, or other surface anomalies. The 2010-P cent was the inaugural year of the Shield reverse, and ten documented trail die reverses from this date reflects the detailed scrutiny these first-year-of-issue coins received from variety specialists who systematically examined early production runs.

Die Markers

• Stage “B “, obverse is MDS – none noted
• Reverse is MDS – this die is mated with

External References