1987P-1DER-010WS Trail Die Reverse

Description

Heavy die scratching dominates the obverse diagnostics of 1987P-1DER-010WS, a wide spread reverse trail die on the 1987 Philadelphia Lincoln Memorial cent documented at Stage B in mid-die state. The scratching cuts through the first part of LIBERTY and continues with diagonal die scratching through the date — an extensive pattern of surface scoring that suggests aggressive die handling or contamination during installation. These obverse scratches serve a dual diagnostic purpose: they are both attribution markers and evidence of the die's production history, documenting mechanical events that occurred independently of the trail die manufacturing defect. On the reverse, no die markers are noted, which means the wide spread trail effects themselves become the primary reverse diagnostic alongside the absence of any competing surface features. Wide spread trail dies result from lateral hub displacement during the die-sinking process, and the MDS classification on both faces indicates this die pair was in the middle portion of its productive life when examined. The concentration of all identifiable die markers on the obverse creates an attribution workflow where the examiner first confirms the obverse scratch pattern and then verifies the reverse trail effects without needing to locate additional reverse landmarks. 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 1987 mintage of 4,682,466,931 cents.

Die Markers

• Stage “B”, obverse is MDS – heavy die scratching through the first part of LIBERTY. Diagonal die scratching through the date.
• Reverse is MDS – none noted.
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Attribution History

• Discovered by Louis Schaeffer
• Expert attribution by Trail Dies

External References