2010D-1DER-002T Trail Die Reverse

Description

Albert Neils discovered this trail die reverse variety on the 2010-D Lincoln Shield cent, a companion die pair to the obverse trail die also found on Shield cents from the Denver Mint that year. Cataloged at Stage B, the obverse shows mid-die-state die damage to the left of the 2 digit in the date, while the reverse at mid-die-state exhibits no notable markers. The obverse die damage near the date serves as the primary pickup point for authentication, as collectors can quickly spot the disturbance adjacent to the 2 without magnification. Trail die reverse varieties record the progressive wear on the reverse die specifically, and in this case the absence of reverse markers at Stage B suggests the reverse die was holding up well relative to its obverse counterpart. The 2010-D Lincoln Shield cent launched a new era in cent production, and trail die studies from this transitional year help document how Denver Mint die pairs performed under the demands of the redesigned coinage.

Die Markers

• Stage “B“, obverse is MDS – die damage is seen to the left of the 2 digit in the date.
• Reverse is MDS – none noted

Attribution History

• Discovered by Albert Neils
• Expert attribution by Trail Dies

External References