Part III: Die Installation Errors:
Transitional Reverse (Minor temporal mismatches):
1988-P and D Lincoln cents with reverse of 1989
Definition: Subtle differences in design details can differentiate dies used in different years. Whether accidental or purposeful, obverse dies are sometimes mated with a reverse die meant for a previous or subsequent year. These are often called “transitional reverses”. Well-known examples include 1992(P) and 1992-D Lincoln cent obverses mated to a 1993 reverse.
Shown below is the normal reverse for 1988 and the reverse used in 1989. Some 1988 obverse dies from both the Philadelphia and Denver Mints were paired with the reverse of 1989. The Philadelphia issues are considered scarce while the Denver issues are considered rare. Research has shown multiple die pairings for both with unknown die runs.
A noticeable change was made to the font style of the designer’s initials, FG (for Frank Gasparro). The FG on the normal reverse of 1988 is thinner and shows lower relief. The FG on the reverse of 1989 is thicker, more sharply defined, and shows higher relief. The G has a shorter upper curve, a horizontal hook at the tip of the lower curve, and a vertical bar that extends slightly below the body of the G.
