2012P(SAC)-100DEO-001T Trail Die Obverse

Description

Cataloged as 2012P(SAC)-100DEO-001T, this trail die obverse variety appears on the 2012 Philadelphia-struck Native American Dollar in Position A, part of the Sacagawea and Native American Dollars 2000 to Date series. The manganese-brass clad coin weighs 8.1 grams, measures 26.5 mm in diameter, and features a distinctive golden color achieved through its 77% copper, 12% zinc, 7% manganese, and 4% nickel composition. The variety is documented at Stage "A", an early die state, with no notable obverse markers. The key reverse diagnostic is that the letters ICA in AMERICA display characteristic "dimples," small depressions in the letter surfaces that indicate contact with another die or hub component transferred subtle impressions onto the working die. Jean Lee is credited with the discovery of this die, contributing to the Trail Dies reference catalog. The 2012 Native American Dollar reverse, designed to honor the contributions of Native Americans to the United States, featured a design theme specific to that year. The Position A designation refers to the orientation of the edge lettering relative to the obverse, a feature introduced in 2007 when the Mint began incusing date, mintmark, and motto information on the edge of dollar coins. Trail die varieties on dollar coins are less commonly reported than on cents, making discoveries on the Native American series particularly noteworthy for variety specialists.

Die Markers

• Stage “A“, obverse is EDS – none noted
• Reverse is EDS – the ICA of AMERICA have “dimples”

Attribution History

• Discovered by Jean Lee
• Expert attribution by Trail Dies

External References