2004D-1DER-001WS Trail Die Reverse

Description

Bearing a trail die designation on the reverse, this 2004-D Lincoln Memorial cent variety originated when a previously struck coin remained partially in the coining chamber, creating a secondary offset impression on subsequently struck pieces. Cataloged by the Trail Dies attribution service, the die markers document this as a Stage B variety with the obverse in mid-die state (MDS) showing no observed anomalies, while the reverse — also in MDS — carries two distinct diagnostic features: a die gouge positioned at mid-height on column 5's right side, and a pair of die gouges located beneath the E of CENT. These reverse die markers serve as fingerprints that definitively identify the specific working die, separate from the trail die feature itself. The Lincoln Memorial reverse design, with its twelve columns, bay windows, and detailed architectural elements, provides an exceptionally rich field for trail die impression geometry — any offset secondary impression creates measurable displacement against these fixed reference points. Denver struck 3,456,400,000 cents in 2004, a massive production run during which dies were cycled at high speed and coin ejection failures occurred with statistical regularity. The combination of identifiable trail die impression plus specific die gouges at column 5 and below CENT makes this variety relatively straightforward to attribute once the correct die is located in a search through 2004-D cent rolls.

Die Markers

• Stage “B”, obverse is MDS – none observed
• Reverse is MDS – die gouge mid column 5, right side. Two die gouges under the E of CENT.

External References