1924-S Doubled Die Obverse DDO-001

Description

Tracked by VarietyVista under die marker codes UVC-1275 and DMR-003, the 1924-S DDO-001 Lincoln Wheat Cent displays medium extra thickness on the date, LIBERTY, and IN GOD WE TRUST — three widely separated obverse inscription groups that together map the extent of the hub displacement across the die face. The variety progresses through three documented die states: Stage A in early die state (EDS), which remains unconfirmed; Stage B in mid-die state (MDS), where die chips develop in the upper portions of both the R and S of TRUST along with a die chip forming in the 4 of the date, while the reverse reaches MDS; and Stage C where both the obverse and reverse reach late die state (LDS). The mid-die-state development of chips simultaneously in TRUST and in the date numeral 4 provides a production timeline marker — specimens showing these chips were struck during the intermediate phase of this die's service life, after the initial clean impressions but before the general deterioration of late state. The "medium extra thickness" classification positions this variety between the subtle "light" category that requires careful magnified examination and the "strong" category visible to the unaided eye, meaning detection typically requires 5x to 10x magnification focused on the date digits and letter profiles. The Lincoln Wheat Cent was designed by Victor David Brenner and struck at the San Francisco Mint in 1924 from 95% copper composition, weighing 3.11 grams with a diameter of 19.05 mm. The 1924-S had a relatively modest mintage of approximately 11.7 million pieces, making it one of the lower-production San Francisco issues of the 1920s. The convergence of doubled die features with progressive die chip development across three documented states makes this variety a study in both die production anomaly and die service life deterioration.

Die Markers

• UVC-1275
• DMR-003
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Die chip in upper R and S of TRUST – MDS
• Die chip in 4 of date
• Reverse is MDS
• Stage C:
• Obverse and Reverse are LDS

Attribution History

• Discovered by Carolyn Macke
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References