1988-D Transitional Reverse Design WTRD-003

Description

Submitted by Joseph Koelling from John Shields and designated WTRD-003 by the Wexler team, this 1988-D transitional reverse design is cross-referenced as Crawford CTRD-002. The variety features extensive die markers on both obverse and reverse surfaces, making it one of the more richly documented TRD dies in the 1988-D census. As with all varieties in this group, the coin was struck from a reverse die prepared with the 1989 hub (RDV-007) instead of the correct 1988 hub (RDV-006), creating a transitional design error. The difference between the two reverse hub designs is concentrated in the designer's initials FG at the lower right of the Lincoln Memorial — the 1989 hub repositioned these initials relative to their 1988 placement, providing the primary diagnostic for TRD attribution. Transitional reverse designs reflect the realities of die production at the Mint, where new hubs for the coming year were prepared months in advance and could inadvertently enter the production flow before the calendar year changed. The Shields-Koelling attribution chain documents the provenance of this variety's discovery. Struck at the Denver Mint on copper-plated zinc planchets (97.5% zinc, 2.5% copper) at 2.5 grams and 19mm. Die Markers: Obverse: A series of die gouges show above the D in GOD. A die gouge shows left of the upper D in GOD. A die scratch runs north to the rim from the top right U of TRUST. Die gouges show to the right of the upper second T in TRUST. A diagonal die scratch shows to the southeast of Lincoln’s eye. A series of light diagonal die scratches show below Lincoln’s ear. A short die scratch extends east from Lincoln’s upper lip. Reverse: A short, vertical die scratch shows between the lower I and T in UNITED. Two die scratches run to the rim from the upper E in UNITED. A possible small die gouge (dot) shows inside the upper opening of the E in UNITED. A die scratch runs to the rim from the top left M in AMERICA. A die gouge shows below the lower right opening of M in AMERICA. A vertical die gouge shows to the left of the upper last A in AMERICA. Submitted By: Joseph Koelling (Updated photos and markers on a coin from John Shields) Cross References: Crawford: CTRD-003 Obverse: A die scratch connects the bottoms of the R and T in LIBERTY. A vertical die scratch can be found to the right of the top of the S in TRUST. A die scratch extends east from the lower right mint mark to the rim. A die scratch extends east from the upper neck just under the chin.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Joseph Koelling Cross References: Crawford: CTRD-002
• Crawford: CTRD-002; Wexler Variety ID: 1988-D 1¢ WTRD-003
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References