1937-S Doubled Die Obverse DDO-001

Description

Extra thickness on LIBERTY and the date defines this first documented doubled die obverse for the 1937-S Lincoln Wheat Cent, tracked by VarietyVista across multiple die state combinations. The complexity of this variety's die state record is notable: UVC-1394 with DMR-004 covers Stages A through C, while a second Universal Variety Code UVC-1395 with DMR-005 covers Stage D, indicating the obverse die was paired with at least two different reverse dies during its production life. Stage A is early die state unconfirmed, Stage B shows both obverse and reverse in middle die state, Stage C shows both in late die state, and Stage D shows the obverse in very late die state (VLDS) paired with a new reverse die in early die state. The mint mark on this variety is positioned slightly lower and further east than DDO-004, providing an additional diagnostic feature for distinguishing between the two doubled die obverses. The 1937-S was struck at the San Francisco Mint with a mintage of approximately 34.5 million pieces. San Francisco's Depression-era cent production served the Western states, and the multiple die state combinations documented here suggest this particular die saw extended use before retirement, progressing from fresh surfaces through significant wear.

Die Markers

• UVC-1394
• DMR-004
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Obverse and Reverse are MDS
• Stage C:
• Obverse and Reverse are LDS
• UVC-1395
• DMR-005
• Stage D:
• Obverse is VLDS
• Reverse die changed – EDS

Attribution History

• Discovered by James Wiles
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References