1993D-1DER-017WS Trail Die Reverse

Description

Severe die deterioration dominates the 017WS — Jeremy Gardner's second contribution to the census — making it a study in how far a die can degrade before retirement. A bi-level die crack runs from the period behind UNUM to the Memorial roof, accompanied by a die chip at the junction. The term "bi-level" describes a crack propagating at two different elevations within the steel, producing a stepped fracture that appears on the struck coin as a raised line with a visible shelf along its length — a more advanced failure than a simple planar crack, indicating fracture along two distinct cleavage planes. Multiple cracks and chips also appear in columns 4 and 5, and a large die chip has broken from the cornice under the M of UNUM. The trail die effect shows moderate step deviation under columns 5, 6, 7, and 8 with emphasis on the left side, offset at 180 degrees. At Stage C late die state, the obverse carries no observed markers, meaning all dramatic deterioration concentrated on the reverse — consistent with the reverse die bearing the brunt of the seating instability that created the trail die condition. Struck at Denver on copper-plated zinc planchets, 2.5 grams, 19mm, plain edge.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Jeremy Gardner
• Expert attribution by Trail Dies

External References