One Cent Proof Obverse Dies With Trails
1954PR-1DEO-001T 160°
DESCRIPTION: Short trail lines are seen from the word LIBERTY, the word IN and the date. The offset direction is 160 degrees.
DIE MARKER: Stage “B” obverse is MDS – diagonal (NW to SE) die scratches can be seen in front of Lincoln’s lips and chin.
Reverse is MDS – a small die crack is seen in the upper left wheat ear.
1955PR-1DEO-001 170°
DESCRIPTION: Trail die on the date and the TR of TRUST. The offset direction is 170°. Class II + VI. Extra thickness is seen in the motto with division lines in the letters. The right wheat ear shows doubling on the top with division lines in the interior of the design.
DIE MARKERS: Stage “B“, obverse is MDS – die scratch is seen over the 55 of the date.
Reverse is MDS – a curved die scratch is seen connecting the last T of STATES and the last A of AMERICA. The reverse has a doubled die listed as 1955P1DR-003P.
NOTE: This die was found by Robert Pelletier.
1956PR-1DEO-001T 180°
DESCRIPTION: Trail lines are seen from the bottom of the letters in LIBERTY. The offset direction is 180°.
DIE MARKERS: Stage “B“, obverse is MDS – a small die scratch is seen inside the G of GOD.
Reverse is MDS – none noted.
NOTE: This die was found by Robert M. Pelletier
1961PR-1DEO-001T 220°
The photo above is of a 1961 Proof Lincoln cent that shows very nice trails running southwest from the RTY of LIBERTY. The trails were difficult to see at first, so turning the coin in the light and sometimes placing it on a ramp can drastically improve the chances for seeing these trials. This die was found by Joe Koelling of North Carolina
1961PR-1DEO-002T 170°, 350°
DESCRIPTION: Trail lines are seen from both the bottom and the top of some letters in the word LIBERTY. The offset directions are 350° and 170°.
DIE MARKERS: Stage “B“, obverse is MDS – none noted.
Reverse is MDS – circular lathe lines are seen in bays 2, 3, 9 and 10.
NOTE: This die was found by Robert Pelletier.
STAGE “C” – reverse is LDS – two small die scratches are seen to the right of the T in CENT.
NOTE: STAGE “C” was found by Robert M. Pelletier.
1964PR-1DEO-001T 170° & 350°
Pictured above is a 1964 Proof Lincoln cent with dual directional trail lines from IBER of LIBERTY. It is obvious that the trail lines, which are normally associated with the single squeeze hubbing process, were not produced by that type of hubbing system. It may be that the single squeeze system and the process used to produce proof dies did have some similarities. One of those similarities may have been a higher pressure used to form the die from the hub, but that is just speculation. This die was found by Larry Nienaber of Arizona.
1964PR-1DEO-002T 160°
A single trails line from the bottom of the R of TRUST with an offset direction of 160 degrees. This die was found by Bob Piazza of Florida.
1971S(PR)-1DEO-001T 000°
DESCRIPTION: This is a trail die on a proof Lincoln cent. Distortion is seen on the top of the letters BERT of LIBERTY. This distortion, especially on the, is consistent with the distortion found on other trail dies with similar letters. The offset direction is estimated to be 000 degrees.
Note: I have taken two different pictures of LIBERTY under different light conditions to show the distortion seen; it is the same die.
DIE MARKERS: Stage “A “, obverse is EDS – An almost vertical die scratch is seen in front of Lincoln’s bow tie. A diagonal die scratch is seen on the left side of the 1 digit in the date.
Reverse is EDS – none noted.