2011-1DEO-005T Trail Die Obverse

Description

Bearing trails on the underside of the LIBERTY letters, this 2011-P Lincoln Shield Cent trail die obverse (discovered by Louis Schaeffer) shows the effect strongest at the Y and progressively weakening toward the I. The offset angle is approximately 160 degrees. Trail die impressions are produced when a secondary mechanical interaction transfers faint linear traces onto the die face, which then appear as raised lines on struck coins. At Stage B (mid-die state), the obverse displays a small gouge below the 20 in the date. On the reverse, a crack and die break are visible on the upper left edge of the shield — both serving as reliable diagnostics for confirming this die pairing. The Lincoln Shield Cent, introduced in 2010 with Lyndall Bass's Union Shield reverse, replaced the Memorial design after fifty years. The progressive weakening of trail intensity from Y to I across LIBERTY indicates the trail source was oriented such that contact pressure diminished moving rightward along the inscription.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Louis Schaeffer
• Expert attribution by Trail Dies

External References