1993P-1DER-041WS Trail Die Reverse

Description

Lincoln's collar — the horizontal band at the base of his neck where the coat meets the shirt — serves as the primary obverse positional reference for 1993P-1DER-041WS on the 1993 Philadelphia Lincoln Memorial cent. The obverse die markers for this Stage C, late die state variety consist of die scratches located under the collar, a position that is used frequently in Lincoln cent attribution because the collar forms a clean horizontal line that provides an unambiguous reference point for describing the location of nearby features. Die scratches below the collar could result from die maintenance tools, debris trapped during installation, or contact with handling equipment — whatever their origin, their position and orientation relative to the collar line make them specific enough to serve as attribution diagnostics. On the reverse, two die gouges appear on the lower part of the N in CENT. Gouges within individual letters are strong markers because the letter itself constrains the possible location to a very small area, and the number of gouges (two, in this case) adds further specificity. The late die state classification for both dies indicates this variety was struck from a die pair that had seen extensive service, consistent with the general pattern that trail die effects become more pronounced as die state advances. The combination of scratches on one die and gouges on the other provides a complete diagnostic profile that allows reliable attribution even without examining the trail line characteristics themselves.

Die Markers

• Stage “C”, obverse die is LDS – die scratches under the collar.
• Reverse is LDS – two die gouges on the lower part of the N in CENT.

External References