2009P(PR)-25DEO-001T Trail Die Obverse

Description

Discovered by Steven Bernatowicz, 2009P(PR)-25DEO-001T is a trail die obverse variety on the 2009 Puerto Rico Quarter from the DC and US Territories series — a proof coin struck at the Philadelphia Mint. A trail die is a working die used after progressive structural deterioration, creating characteristic trailing lines or ghost images of design elements dragged in the direction of metal flow. This variety is documented across die stages C, D, and E — all exhibiting the same defining feature: a large die crack through the bottom of Washington's bust. Stage C is classified LDS (Late Die State), Stage D as LDS, and Stage E as VLDS (Very Late Die State), reflecting progressive worsening. The trail die classification is distinct from a simple crack: on trail dies, the crack interacts with metal flow during striking to create smeared or dragged design elements, not merely a raised line. Proof Puerto Rico Quarters of 2009 were struck on polished planchets; mirror surfaces make die cracks and trail features particularly crisp on well-preserved examples.

Die Markers

• Stage "C", obverse is LDS – a large die crack is seen in the bottom of Washington's bust.
• Stage "D", obverse is LDS – a large die crack is seen in the bottom of Washington's bust.
• Stage "E", obverse is VLDS – a large die crack is seen in the bottom of Washington's bust.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Bob Piazza
• Expert attribution by Trail Dies

External References