1936 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-006

Description

Strong extra thickness across the date, LIBERTY, and IN GOD WE TRUST distinguishes DDO-006 as one of the more visually prominent obverse doubled dies documented for the 1936 Lincoln wheat cent. Victor David Brenner's Lincoln portrait, continuously produced since 1909, carries these three inscription groups at separate positions around the obverse — the date at lower right, LIBERTY at left, and the motto across the upper arc — and their simultaneous involvement signals a substantial hub misalignment affecting the entire die face. VarietyVista assigned die identifiers UVC-1341 and DMR-008, recording three die stages: Stage A at early die state (unconfirmed), Stage B where both obverse and reverse surfaces exhibit mid die state characteristics, and Stage C at late die state (unconfirmed). The confirmed MDS designation for Stage B establishes that specimens with moderate die wear have been verified. An important comment notes "Full R in LIBERTY," referencing the Designer's Initial controversy unique to the Lincoln cent — Brenner's "R" in LIBERTY (actually the tail of the Y descending near the R position) has diagnostic significance because certain hub varieties show distinct R formations. Philadelphia struck approximately 309.6 million cents in 1936, a Depression-recovery era mintage that ensured heavy die consumption across the production year. The strong extra thickness classification elevates DDO-006 above the light and medium spread varieties that constitute the majority of Lincoln cent doubled dies, as strong designation indicates the secondary impression is readily visible without extreme magnification. Collectors should focus examination on the date digits and the vertical strokes of LIBERTY under 8-12x magnification, where the extra thickness manifests as noticeably bolder letterforms compared to normally struck 1936 cents.

Die Markers

• UVC-1341
• DMR-008
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Obverse and Reverse are MDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by James Wiles
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References