2000D-1DER-004WS Trail Die Reverse

Description

Discovered by Jeremy Gardner, this 2000 Denver Mint Lincoln Memorial Cent exhibits a trail die reverse, a variety created when a partially hubbed die is mistakenly placed into service. Trail dies occur during the multi-impression hubbing process: if a die receives its first hub impression but fails to receive subsequent impressions needed to complete the design, the resulting partially finished die can produce coins with incomplete or distorted design elements. Documented at Stage B with the obverse in Mid Die State, no significant obverse die markers have been noted. On the reverse in Mid Die State, a small die gouge appears under the E of PLURIBUS, a die gouge is visible in the first U of UNUM, and two die gouges surround the T of CENT. These reverse gouges serve as the primary attribution diagnostics for this trail die pair. The Lincoln Memorial Cent series (1959-2008) saw occasional trail die varieties reach circulation, particularly during high-volume production years when quality control lapses allowed incompletely hubbed dies to enter the coining press rotation at branch mints.

Die Markers

• Stage “B”, obverse is MDS – none noted.
• Reverse is MDS – small die gouge under the E of PLURIBUS. A die gouge is seen in the first U of UNUM. There are two die gouges around the T of CENT.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Jeremy Gardner
• Expert attribution by Trail Dies

External References