1927 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-005

Description

Fifth in the Wexler-documented obverse doubled die census for the 1927 Lincoln wheat cent, WDDO-005 exhibits an extra eyelid below Lincoln's main eyelid — one of the most visually compelling doubled die diagnostics found on Lincoln cent obverses, where Victor David Brenner's carefully sculpted portrait reveals even minimal displacement between hub impressions in the delicate eyelid area. The obverse die carries specific markers: vertical die scratches to the right of the chin, providing a cluster of secondary diagnostics near the portrait's lower profile. The reverse contributes an additional fingerprint: a short die scratch running south from the bottom left of the N in UNITED to the top of the O in OF, offering a precise identification point on the reverse face. Philadelphia struck approximately 144.4 million cents in 1927, a moderate production year during the late 1920s prosperity era. The doubled eyelid diagnostic is particularly engaging for variety collectors because the human eye naturally focuses on facial features when examining portrait coins, making this doubling type intuitively discoverable compared to inscription-based varieties that require systematic letter-by-letter examination. The extra eyelid appears as a distinct secondary line below and slightly displaced from Lincoln's primary eyelid contour, creating a doubled crescent visible under 10-15x magnification. Cross-referenced as Wexler Variety ID: 1927 1¢ WDDO-005, with no additional attribution system listings currently known. Collectors should first verify the vertical die scratches near the chin and the reverse die scratch between N and O to confirm the correct die pair, then examine the eye area for the secondary eyelid impression.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Dr. Daniel Griffin Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1927 1¢ WDDO-005
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References