2012P-5DEO-002T Trail Die Obverse

Description

Discovered by Tanaka (Mikee) Davis and documented in the Trail Dies catalog, the 2012P-5DEO-002T is a trail die obverse variety on the 2012 Philadelphia Mint Jefferson Nickel, part of the Return to Monticello series that began in 2006. Trail die obverse varieties present a faint secondary impression of the obverse portrait offset from the primary design, produced during die manufacturing or press setup when the die receives an unintended contact that transfers a partial design impression at a displaced position. This mechanism differs from traditional doubled dies in that the secondary impression originates from operational handling rather than hub-to-die transfer misalignment. Die marker documentation identifies Stage "C" at late die state (LDS) with a die gouge between the 1 and 2 digits of the date on the obverse, while the reverse at LDS displays die chips in the last O of MONTICELLO and the S of CENTS. The LDS designation for both dies indicates this die pair had accumulated significant wear by the time these diagnostic specimens were identified, and the progressive deterioration visible in the date-area gouge and reverse die chips would have continued developing through any remaining production before the dies were retired. The Jefferson Nickel is struck in copper-nickel composition (75% copper, 25% nickel) weighing 5.0 grams with a diameter of 21.21 mm. The current obverse design, a forward-facing Jefferson portrait by Jamie Franki introduced in 2006, replaced Felix Schlag's original left-facing profile. The Monticello reverse was restored in 2006 as a modified version of Schlag's 1938 design depicting Thomas Jefferson's Virginia estate. The die gouge between the date digits on the obverse provides an accessible field-identification marker, and the reverse die chips in MONTICELLO and CENTS offer secondary confirmation points.

Die Markers

• Stage “C“, obverse is LDS – a die gouge is seen between the 1 and 2 digits of the date.
• Reverse is LDS – die chips are seen in the last O of MONTICELLO and the S of CENTS.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Tanaka (Mikee) Davis
• Expert attribution by Trail Dies

External References