1927 Lincoln Wheat Cent - Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-010

Description

Completing a trio of directionally distinct eyelid doubled dies across the 1926-1927 Lincoln Wheat Cent production, WDDO-010 on the 1927 Philadelphia issue features an extra eyelid below Lincoln's main eyelid — a secondary impression displaced downward that creates a shadowed or bagged appearance beneath the eye on Victor David Brenner's portrait. Cataloged by the Wexler Team as 1927 1¢ WDDO-010 with no other known cross-references, this variety's downward eyelid displacement represents a third directional variant alongside the southeast displacement of 1926 WDDO-003 and the upward displacement of 1927 WDDO-007. Where the upward variant widens the apparent eye socket and the southeast variant creates a stacked double-lid effect, the downward-displaced extra eyelid on WDDO-010 produces what appears as a secondary crease or fold beneath Lincoln's eye, mimicking the natural aging feature known colloquially as an "eye bag." The downward direction indicates the secondary hub impression shifted slightly toward the bottom of the die relative to the primary impression, with the lower eyelid's fine engraved contour providing the sensitive surface where this offset becomes visible. The 1927 Lincoln Wheat Cent was struck in bronze composition (95% copper, 5% tin and zinc) at the Philadelphia Mint, and the WDDO-010 catalog number indicates at least ten distinct doubled die obverse varieties have been documented for this date alone — a substantial population reflecting Philadelphia's high-volume die production. No significant die markers have been reported, placing full attribution weight on the downward extra eyelid. Examination at 5x to 7x magnification along the lower eyelid contour reveals the secondary line sitting below the primary.

Cross References

• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1927 1¢ WDDO-010

External References