Is this the 51S-1MM-002?

[JRocco]

This looks like an earlier die state than the pic on this site, but I did not know that this variety showed such a wide split upper serif. Is this the 002 ?
http://forums.collectors.com/include/uploadbox/viewfile.cfm?files=51s002pan%2Ejpg http://forums.collectors.com/include/uploadbox/viewfile.cfm?files=51s002pan1%2Ejpg

[coop]

John: I believe it is from the same die as 002.
http://www.coppercoins.com/lincoln/diestate.php?date=1951&die_id=1951s1mm002&die_state=lds
The image on the site is a LDS and yours does appear to be a lot earlier than the 002 LDS. Markers for the LDS should mostly NOT be present on your coin. I noticed even the upper serif had a East mark on it. On the LDS coins details wear differently than on EDS or MDS coins. Marks in the fields of the coin tend to disappear/flatten out and details inside the die, numbers/dates/mintmarks tend to wear differently. On your example you see a small line of the lower punch. As the die is used it wears out the punch mark to make it larger or even flatten out in later die states as the LDS 002 seems to be doing. The fresher the die the crisper the details are. But in the opposite scenario, some mintmarks tend to get stronger with LDS coins. The 1956D/S coin with the "S" next to the mintmark, the later die states show the mark stronger than earlier die states. I guess it depends on how hard the strike or number of strikes used, then a flattening to cover the unwanted strike, that tends to bring out different effects on the dies. Bob had an EDS coin and compared it to one I posted on the site just recently.
http://www.coppercoins.com/lincoln/diestate.php?date=1951&die_id=1951d1mm010&die_state=lds
The LDS showed what the RPM book had for a RPM. but on his coin you could see a definite line instead of the strong East as on the 010 coin I posted. We did an overlay and it matched perfectly, just the shape of the RPM was different. So I made a different comparision.
http://www.coppercoins.com/lincoln/diestate.php?date=1958&die_id=1958d1mm019&die_state=mds
On this die can you see the image of the B in LIBERTY?
Compare it to the LDS image of the same letter.
http://www.coppercoins.com/lincoln/diestate.php?date=1958&die_id=1958d1mm019&die_state=lds
The die letter broke and what was left indie the die keeps wearing away with use till it get larger and larger. Same way on a mintmark the die wears, shaping each new coin into the shape the die makes it into, wearing more and more after each coin. Now multiply that times, hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, some even 100,000s. The die keeps on wearing a way little by little till the little mark you see on your coin, wear out to the disappearing mark on my LDS coin. Hope this helps John.

[JRocco]

Thanks for the reply coop. It helps a lot, and thanks again for always going the extra mile to help.