1909 Lincoln Wheat Cent - Doubled Die Reverse VDDR-059

Description

Documented by VarietyVista with die markers UVC-???? and DMR-0?? (catalog numbers pending assignment), this 1909 Lincoln Wheat Cent VDDR-059 displays light spread on TE of UNITED, F of OF, TA of STATES, and M of AMERICA — a scattered partial-word doubling pattern where only specific letter groups within each word show visible displacement, mapping the geometric relationship between the hub displacement vector and each letter's position and orientation on the die. The reverse die variety is identified as either RDV-004 (Deep cut N, no V.D.B.) or RDV-003 (Shallow cut N, no V.D.B.), indicating this is a non-VDB reverse type where the designer's initials were removed — placing it in the category of 1909 cents produced after the Mint quickly removed Victor David Brenner's initials from the reverse due to public controversy about their prominent placement. Three documented die stages track progressive deterioration: Stage A at EDS (unconfirmed); Stage B at MDS showing a heavy die crack east of ONE running to the rim through the N of UNUM, along with die cracks at the lower right and left wheat grains reaching the rim; and additional die cracks developing at north-northeast positions. The 1909 Lincoln Wheat Cent, designed by Victor David Brenner, was the inaugural year of both the Lincoln portrait and the wheat ears reverse, struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 95% copper composition at 3.11 grams with a 19.05 mm diameter. The 1909 date holds special significance as the centennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth and the first year a real historical figure appeared on a regular-issue U.S. coin. The V.D.B. removal controversy and the resulting die varieties remain among the most collected and studied features of the entire Lincoln Cent series.

Die Markers

• UVC-????
• DMR-0??
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Heavy die crack E of ONE
• to rim through N of UNUM – MDS
• Die crack lower Right wheat grains to rim
• Light die crack lower Left wheat grains to rim
• Light die crack North-South bust to rim – MDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

External References