2012P(CC)-25DEO-001T Trail Die Obverse

Description

Documented in the Trail Dies catalog and discovered by Tom Steinbaugh, the 2012P(CC)-25DEO-001T is a trail die obverse variety found on the 2012 Philadelphia Mint Chaco Culture National Historical Park quarter from the America the Beautiful series. A trail die occurs when a faint secondary impression of the design appears offset from the primary design, typically caused during the die manufacturing or setup process. Die marker documentation identifies this as Stage "C" — late die state (LDS) — with the obverse showing a die gouge to the left of the mintmark and the reverse exhibiting die gouges around the A of CHACO. The late die state designation indicates this die had accumulated significant wear and deterioration by the time these diagnostic specimens were struck, and the die gouges around both the mintmark and the CHACO inscription provide reliable identification points that develop as the die progresses through its service life. The 2012 Chaco Culture quarter features a reverse designed by Donna Weaver depicting two walls of the Pueblo Bonito great house joined at a central corner, representing the ancient Puebloan civilization that built the remarkable structures in northwestern New Mexico's Chaco Canyon. Struck in copper-nickel clad composition (8.33% nickel, 91.67% copper) weighing 5.67 grams with a 24.26 mm diameter, this quarter is part of the America the Beautiful Quarters Program (2010–2021). Trail die varieties are collected as a specialized category within the error and variety hobby, with Tom Steinbaugh's discovery contributing to the growing catalog of trail die events documented across modern U.S. coinage.

Die Markers

• Stage "C", obverse is LDS – a die gouge is seen to the left of the mintmark.
• Reverse is LDS – die gouges are seen around the A of CHACO.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Tom Steinbaugh
• Expert attribution by Trail Dies

External References