2012P-1DEO-018T Trail Die Obverse

Description

Cataloged by Trail Dies as 2012P-1DEO-018T, this trail die obverse variety appears on a 2012-P Lincoln Shield cent struck at the Philadelphia Mint. The Lincoln Shield cent, introduced in 2010 with Lyndall Bass's union shield reverse design, is struck in copper-plated zinc weighing 2.5 grams with a 19 mm diameter and a plain edge. The 2012-P represents one of the early years of the Shield cent design, which replaced the Lincoln Memorial reverse that had been in use since 1959. Trail dies on Shield cents are documented using the same DEO (die error obverse) cataloging system applied to Memorial cents, maintaining continuity across the broader Lincoln cent trail die census. This variety was found by Mark Britton, whose examination identified the trail die characteristics on the obverse. Die markers place this variety in Stage B, with the obverse in mid die state showing no noted markers and the reverse also in mid die state, exhibiting a die crack on the upper left edge of the shield above the letters URI of PLURIBUS. The location of the reverse die crack above the URI portion of PLURIBUS is a precise positional diagnostic that anchors the attribution to this specific reverse die. The Shield reverse design, with its vertical and horizontal lines within the shield, banner inscription, and surrounding text, provides a distinctly different surface topology than the Memorial reverse for trail die identification. The transition from the Memorial to Shield design in 2010 opened a new chapter in Lincoln cent variety research, and trail die discoveries on the Shield design help establish baseline expectations for the frequency and characteristics of these varieties on the newer design. The high sequential number 018T indicates substantial trail die cataloging activity on 2012-P Shield cents, reflecting continued interest in this specialized area of die variety research.

Die Markers

• Stage “B“, obverse is MDS – none noted.
• Reverse is MDS – a die crack is seen on the upper left edge of the shield above the letters URI of PLURIBUS.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Mark Britton
• Expert attribution by Trail Dies

External References