2001D-1DER-002WS Trail Die Reverse

Description

Cataloged as a trail die reverse on the 2001-D Lincoln Memorial Cent, this variety designated 1DER-002WS presents a light step deviation visible under columns 5, 6, and 7 of the Lincoln Memorial — an area where the fine architectural detail of the Memorial's staircase is susceptible to revealing ghost-like traces from prior hub impressions during the die-making process. Trail die varieties occur when remnants of a previous hubbing remain faintly visible on the finished die, producing subtle anomalies on every coin struck from that die. At Stage B, the obverse is in mid-die state with a die crack developing between the R and T of LIBERTY, while the reverse is also in mid-die state with a die gouge on the top of the N of CENT and a die dot in the first U of UNUM. These three reverse markers — the N gouge, the U die dot, and the step deviation itself — create a comprehensive identification fingerprint. This die is credited to Richard Cooper, whose photographs document the variety. The 2001-D Memorial Cent was among the later issues of the long-running Memorial reverse design (1959-2008). Cataloged by Trail Dies, this Denver Mint copper-plated zinc cent rewards examination of the staircase area beneath the Memorial's central columns for the diagnostic step deviation.

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