2011-1DER-016T Trail Die Reverse

Description

Discovered by Lynn Morace, this 2011 Philadelphia Mint Lincoln Shield Cent carries an unusual dual trail die reverse — two distinct sets of trails at different offset directions visible on UNITED. Trail dies result when a coin receives a secondary impression from a slightly shifted die or when residual design transfer occurs during the production process, leaving ghost-like traces alongside the intended design. On this variety, the first set of trails appears at 060 degrees and is most visible on NITE, while a second, fainter set at 355 degrees affects the upper portion of UNI. The two different offset angles make this a particularly interesting specimen, as most trail dies exhibit only a single direction of displacement. Die stage B shows slight extra thickness in the 2 and Y of LIBERTY on the obverse at the mid-die-state level, while the reverse at mid-die-state has no confirmed die markers. Cataloged as 2011-1DER-016T by Trail Dies, the sixteenth documented trail die reverse for this date reflects the ongoing scrutiny that modern Shield Cent production receives from die variety specialists.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Lynn Morace
• Expert attribution by Trail Dies

External References