2008P-1DER-001WS Trail Die Reverse

Description

Louis Schaeffer discovered this trail die reverse on the 2008 Philadelphia Mint Lincoln Memorial Cent, documented at Stage A in early die state on both sides. The obverse at EDS shows no noted die markers, while the reverse carries die gouges in the field under the U of UNITED along with a light die crack extending from the bottom of the right urn into column 10 of the Memorial building. The die crack connecting the urn to the tenth column traces a structural path along architectural elements of the Memorial facade, documenting early die fatigue even at this initial production stage. Trail die reverse varieties preserve vestiges of a prior hub impression on the reverse working die, producing faint secondary design traces on struck coins. The die gouges beneath the U of UNITED provide a legend-area diagnostic, while the urn-to-column die crack offers an architectural-area confirmation marker. The 2008 Philadelphia Mint cent represents the final year of the Memorial reverse design before the 2009 Bicentennial four-design program replaced it, making trail die discoveries from this terminal year part of the closing chapter of Gasparro's iconic reverse.

Die Markers

• Stage “A”, obverse is EDS – none noted.
• Reverse is EDS – die gouges in the field under the U of UNITED. Light die crack from the bottom of the right urn into column 10

Attribution History

• Discovered by Louis Schaeffer
• Expert attribution by Trail Dies

External References