2011P-1DEO-009T Trail Die Obverse

Description

Trails emanating from the E in WE and the TR in TRUST identify this 2011 Philadelphia Lincoln Shield Cent trail die obverse, with the offset direction at 100 degrees placing the ghost impressions at a near-horizontal displacement to the right and slightly downward. Found by Louis Schaeffer, the variety is documented at Stage B in Mid Die State. The obverse carries a die gouge between WE and TRUST and die scratches in front of Lincoln's portrait, bowtie, and date, while the reverse shows a die crack along the top of the left side of the shield extending into the top right side. These multiple die markers across both sides provide a robust set of diagnostics for confirming the correct die pair. Trail dies form during die manufacture when successive hub impressions partially overlap, embedding residual ghost images at an angular offset. The Lincoln Shield Cent, introduced in 2010 with a union shield reverse replacing the Memorial, generated immediate variety research interest as specialists cataloged the new design's doubling and manufacturing characteristics. Nine trail die obverses for the 2011 Philadelphia date demonstrates the thoroughness of that ongoing survey.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Louis Schaeffer
• Expert attribution by Trail Dies

External References