1909 Lincoln Wheat Cent - Doubled Die Reverse VDDR-053

Description

This 1909 Lincoln Wheat Cent doubled die reverse, designated VDDR-053, exhibits light spread affecting multiple reverse legend elements: TE of UNITED, F of OF, TA of STATES, and M of AMERICA. The spread across these widely spaced letters confirms a hub-doubling event that affected a broad zone of the reverse die face. Three die stages have been documented. Stage A represents the early die state. Stage B shows a die crack developing from the lower right wheat stalk to the rim, accompanied by a die clash at Lincoln's throat — both indicators of progressive die wear at the early-to-mid stage. Stage C is the late die state. The reverse die is classified as either RDV-004 (deep cut N, no V.D.B.) or RDV-003 (shallow cut N, no V.D.B.), establishing that this die belongs to the variety without Victor David Brenner's initials on the reverse — the standard configuration for 1909 Philadelphia cents produced after the initials were removed partway through the year. The inaugural year of the Lincoln Cent series is one of the most heavily studied dates in American numismatics, and documented doubled die reverses from this transitional production year reward careful examination.

Die Markers

• UVC-????
• DMR-0??
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Die crack from lower Right wheat to rim – EMDS
• Die clash at throat – EMDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

External References