1937 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-012

Description

Twelfth Wexler-documented obverse doubled die for the 1937 Lincoln wheat cent, WDDO-012 features an extra eyelid below Lincoln's normal eyelid — one of the most visually compelling doubled die diagnostics found on Lincoln cents, where Victor David Brenner's finely sculpted portrait reveals hub displacement through the duplication of anatomical detail. The doubled eyelid diagnostic is particularly intuitive for collectors because the human eye naturally focuses on facial features when examining portraits, making a secondary eyelid line immediately recognizable without reference to inscription-based doubling that requires more careful analysis. Obverse die markers are noted as none significant, while the reverse carries a diagnostic die scratch running parallel to the rim above E PLURIBUS UNUM, providing a secondary confirmation point for identifying this specific working die. Cross-references include Coppercoins listing 1937P-1DO-002 and the formal Wexler Variety ID: 1937 1c WDDO-012, establishing this variety in at least two major attribution databases. Philadelphia struck approximately 309.2 million cents in 1937, a substantial Depression-era output that reflected improving economic conditions. The extra eyelid forms when the secondary hub impression displaces the incuse eyelid detail in the die, creating a second groove parallel to the primary that strikes up as a raised line on the finished coin. Unlike inscription-based doubling where letter shapes are geometric and angular, the eyelid doubling follows the organic curve of Brenner's sculpted portrait, producing a naturalistic secondary line that parallels the primary eyelid contour. Collectors should examine Lincoln's eye area under 10-15x magnification, looking south of the normal eyelid for a distinct secondary line, then confirm by checking the reverse for the die scratch above EPU running parallel to the rim.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Paul Kjellander Cross References: Coppercoins: 1937P-1DO-002 '
• Coppercoins: 1937P-1DO-002 '; Wexler Variety ID: 1937 1¢ WDDO-012
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References