1928 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-003

Description

An extra eyelid positioned southeast of Lincoln's main eyelid provides the primary diagnostic for WDDO-003 of the 1928 Lincoln Wheat Cent — a portrait-specific doubling that requires focused examination of the facial detail rather than the more commonly checked text areas. Philadelphia struck 134.1 million wheat cents in 1928, a robust mintage that places this solidly in the common-date category for circulation strikes, though die varieties create scarcity within that abundance. The obverse carries a secondary die marker: a small die gouge northeast from the top of Lincoln's bowtie, a feature useful for confirming the correct die when the eyelid doubling alone seems ambiguous. No significant reverse die markers have been noted by the Wexler Team. Cataloged under Wexler Variety ID 1928 1c WDDO-003 with no known cross-references, this third documented doubled die obverse for the date places it in the middle of the census. Portrait doubling — particularly on the eyelid — is among the more popular die variety categories because it directly affects Lincoln's likeness, making it visually compelling even when the actual amount of spread is modest. The southeast direction of the extra eyelid indicates the hub's secondary impression was offset toward the lower right, consistent with a slight lateral-rotational misalignment during die sinking.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Cliff Reuter Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1928 1¢ WDDO-003
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References