1940 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-017

Description

An extra eyelid showing southeast of the primary eyelid distinguishes WDDO-017 on the 1940 Philadelphia Mint Lincoln Wheat Cent, where hub displacement created a secondary eyelid contour displaced downward and to the right of Lincoln's eye. The extra eyelid provides a portrait-area diagnostic concentrated on one of the most detailed features of Victor David Brenner's Lincoln portrait, where the fine engraving of the eye area amplifies even modest hub displacement into a visible secondary contour. Cataloged by the Wexler Team under Wexler Variety ID 1940 1¢ WDDO-017, this variety's diagnostic focuses on a small but well-defined area where collectors can identify the displaced eyelid under moderate magnification. The southeast direction indicates the hub's displacement vector during the sinking process, producing the secondary impression below and to the right of the original. The 1940 Lincoln Wheat Cent, struck during the final pre-war production year before World War II altered Mint operations, belongs to the Depression era when mintages had begun recovering from their early-1930s lows. The single concentrated diagnostic on Lincoln's eyelid makes attribution focused and efficient. Die Markers: Obverse: Die gouge (dot) below lower left 4 in the date. Short die scratch running northeast from the lower 1 in the date. Reverse: Light die scratch lower U to S in PLURIBUS. Short die gouge right of lower right O and die gouge (dot) just under upper right E in ONE. Die gouge (dot) just left of lower left second U in PLURIBUS.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Whaden Curtis Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1940 1¢ WDDO-017
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References