1986P-1DER-001WST Trail Die Reverse

Description

Oriented at 150 degrees, 1986P-1DER-001WST on the 1986 Philadelphia Lincoln Memorial cent exhibits trail die effects on the reverse, with light step deviation under columns 6, 7, and 8 and level distortion on the stylobate under columns 10 and 11. The 150-degree offset direction is confirmed by the trail visible on the F of the designer's initials (FG, for Frank Gasparro), which serves as the key clue to the angular orientation of the progressive die deterioration. Additional distortion appears on the letters of E PLURIBUS UNUM, attributed to the master trail die — indicating the deterioration pattern may have originated earlier in the die lineage rather than developing solely during this working die's service. At Stage B in mid-die state, the obverse carries no noted die markers, while the reverse shows a die gouge in the middle of the O in ONE and a die gouge over NT of CENT. The columned facade of the Lincoln Memorial provides an especially clear canvas for documenting trail die effects, as the regular geometry of the columns and stylobate makes even subtle level distortions and step deviations apparent through careful comparison with unaffected specimens. Struck at Philadelphia (no mint mark) on copper-plated zinc planchets (97.5% zinc, 2.5% copper) at 2.5 grams and 19mm, from the 1986 mintage of 4,491,395,493 cents.

External References