1939 Doubled Die Reverse DDR-001

Description

Primary doubled die reverse for the 1939 Lincoln Wheat Cent, DDR-001 displays extra thickness on E PLURIBUS UNUM, the separator dots, and both wheat ears and stems — a comprehensive spread affecting multiple reverse elements that indicates meaningful hub displacement during die manufacture. Struck at Philadelphia on the eve of World War II, the 1939 cent had a mintage of approximately 316 million pieces, a figure that would seem modest compared to the wartime production volumes that followed within three years. VarietyVista cataloged this variety under UVC-1427 and DMR-011 with three die stages: Stage A in Early Die State remains unconfirmed, Stage B shows both reverse and obverse in Mid-Die State, and Stage C reaches Late Die State though also unconfirmed. The DDR-001 designation as the first-cataloged doubled die reverse for this date typically indicates it was either the most pronounced or the earliest discovered variety. Victor David Brenner's wheat ears reverse design, with its fine parallel lines within the stalks and delicate serif lettering, is particularly revealing of hub doubling effects. The extra thickness on the separator dots between E PLURIBUS and UNUM provides an especially reliable diagnostic that persists even on moderately circulated specimens.

Die Markers

• UVC-1427
• DMR-011
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Reverse and Obverse are MDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Delma K. Romines
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References