2013P-1DEO-009T Trail Die Obverse

Description

Trail dies occur when a die used to strike coins contacts another die face-to-face instead of striking a planchet, transferring faint design traces at an offset angle. This 2013 Philadelphia Lincoln Shield cent, designated 2013P-1DEO-009T, exhibits trail die markers on the obverse. Found by Joe Koelling, the variety is documented in its Stage C late die state. On the obverse, a small die gouge appears below the B in VDB, consistent with accumulated die deterioration. The reverse, also in late die state, shows die damage on the upper left edge of the shield with a die crack traversing downward to the letter L in PLURIBUS, along with another die crack on the upper right edge of the shield that enters the field from the shield's crown. Trail die varieties are produced during the die-setting or die-testing process when dies are inadvertently brought together without a blank between them, and the resulting transferred impressions appear as ghost-like design elements offset from their normal positions. This variety offers a window into Mint production mechanics that most collectors rarely encounter on modern Lincoln cents.

Die Markers

• Stage “C“, obverse is LDS – a small die gouge is seen below the B in VDB.
• Reverse is LDS – die damage is seen on the upper left edge of the shield with a die crack traversing down to the letter L in PLURIBUS. Another die crack is seen on the upper right edge of the shield entering into the field from the shield’s crown.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Joe Koelling
• Expert attribution by Trail Dies

External References