1928-S Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-001

Description

Holding the primary obverse doubled die designation for the 1928-S Lincoln wheat cent, WDDO-001 presents an extra eyelid below Lincoln's main eyelid — a distinctive doubling diagnostic found on several hub-doubled Lincoln cent obverse dies where Victor David Brenner's carefully sculpted facial detail reveals even minimal displacement between hub impressions. San Francisco struck approximately 17.27 million cents in 1928, a relatively modest mintage that places this date among the lower-production S-mint wheat cents of the late 1920s. The obverse die markers are limited to the mintmark position as the sole identifying characteristic, while the reverse carries a more distinctive diagnostic: prominent die flow lines running through the E of ONE on the reverse. Die flow lines develop during the die sinking process when metal displaced by the hub impression creates directional stress patterns in the die steel, and their presence through the E of ONE provides a secondary confirmation point independent of the doubled eyelid itself. The Wexler Team cataloged this variety under Wexler Variety ID: 1928-S 1¢ WDDO-001, with no additional cross-references currently known. The doubled eyelid diagnostic is particularly compelling because the human eye is naturally drawn to examine facial features on portraits, making this doubling type more likely to be spotted during casual inspection than many inscription-based varieties. Collectors should examine Lincoln's eye area under 10-15x magnification, looking for a distinct secondary eyelid line below and slightly displaced from the primary eyelid contour, then confirm by checking the reverse for the die flow lines through the E of ONE.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Dr. Daniel Griffin Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1928-S 1¢ WDDO-001
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References