2014P-1DEO-002T Trail Die Obverse

Description

Documented in the Trail Dies catalog and discovered by Joe Koelling, the 2014P-1DEO-002T is a trail die obverse variety found on the 2014 Philadelphia Mint Lincoln Shield Cent. Trail dies form when a secondary design impression appears faintly offset from the primary during the die manufacturing or setup process, creating a ghostly doubled image with a distinct origin mechanism from hub doubling — the secondary impression typically results from an unintended contact during die installation or trial striking rather than from misaligned hubbing impressions. Die marker documentation identifies Stage "B" at mid-die-state (MDS) with the obverse showing no noted markers and the reverse in MDS displaying a die crack along the upper left shield edge and a die crack entering the field from the apex (top point) of the shield. The two shield-area die cracks document progressive structural failure in the geometric design element where the sharp angles at the shield's edges and apex concentrate striking forces, creating stress points susceptible to cracking during production. The Lincoln Shield Cent was struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 2014 in copper-plated zinc (97.5% zinc, 2.5% copper) weighing 2.5 grams with a 19.05 mm diameter. The Shield reverse, designed by Lyndall Bass, features a Union shield with thirteen vertical stripes beneath a horizontal scroll bearing ONE CENT. Victor David Brenner's obverse portrait of Abraham Lincoln has been in continuous use since 1909. Joe Koelling's discovery contributes to a growing catalog of trail die varieties on Lincoln Shield Cents, and the mid-die-state documentation with shield-area die cracks provides collectors with reference markers for evaluating the expected die condition when examining potential specimens of this variety.

Die Markers

• Stage “B“, obverse is MDS – none noted.
• Reverse is MDS – a die crack is seen along the upper left shield edge. A die crack is seen entering the field from the apex of the shield.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Joe Koelling
• Expert attribution by Trail Dies

External References