2009D-1DER-003T Trail Die Reverse

Description

Discovered by Sarah Romero of Colorado, this trail die reverse is cataloged as 2009D-1DER-003T on the 2009-D Lincoln Cent Formative Years issue, one of four commemorative reverses struck for the Lincoln Bicentennial. Trail die pieces, sometimes called die adjustment strikes, are produced when a working die is being set up in the press before the strike fully develops the reverse design to normal depth. The resulting coins carry diagnostic die markers that place them within a specific die's life span. In Stage A, early die state on both faces is confirmed by a die crack in Lincoln's hair below the word GOD on the obverse; the reverse shows die cracks in the right boot and the left shoulder, along with a die gouge in the field below the R of AMERICA. These EDS markers establish the trail die condition was encountered very early in this die's production cycle. The 2009 Formative Years reverse depicts a young Lincoln reading while resting against a log. Struck in copper-plated zinc at Denver, these coins represent both a commemorative milestone and a narrowly defined die variety for Lincoln cent specialists.

Die Markers

• Stage “A”, obverse is EDS – a die crack is seen on Lincoln’s hair below the word GOD.
• Reverse is EDS – die cracks are seen in the right boot and the left shoulder.
• Also seen is a die gouge in the the field below R of AMERICA.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Sarah Romero
• Expert attribution by Trail Dies

External References