1940 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-022

Description

Twenty-second in the obverse doubled die census for the 1940 Lincoln wheat cent, WDDO-022 presents an extra eyelid below Lincoln's normal eyelid — the signature diagnostic type that characterizes a substantial subset of Lincoln cent doubled die obverse varieties. The Wexler Team documented specific die markers for both sides: on the obverse, a die gouge (appearing as a dot) to the left of the upper first T in TRUST, and on the reverse, a light die crack running northwest from the top of the left wheat ear. These two independent markers — one a die surface defect, the other a die fatigue indicator — provide collectors with a reliable two-step confirmation sequence before evaluating the eyelid doubling. Philadelphia struck approximately 586.8 million cents in 1940, a year of accelerating defense production as the United States expanded its military preparedness efforts. The substantial DDO count (reaching at least 022 for this single date) reflects the combination of high production volume and sustained collector scrutiny that characterizes popular wheat cent dates from the late 1930s and early 1940s. The doubled eyelid diagnostic on Lincoln's portrait represents a hub misalignment where the working hub displaced the eye area detail between impressions, depositing a secondary eyelid contour below the primary line. Cross-referenced as Wexler Variety ID: 1940 1¢ WDDO-022, with no additional attribution system listings currently known. The die gouge dot to the left of the first T in TRUST is the more distinctive obverse marker — its specific position relative to the letter's upper serif makes it distinguishable from random contact marks. The reverse die crack from the wheat ear tip provides die state information as well, since die cracks are progressive features that tend to grow longer over the die's production life. Collectors should use 10-15x magnification, confirming the die markers before examining the subtle eyelid doubling.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Paul Kjellander Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1940 1¢ WDDO-022
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References