1940-S Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-008

Description

Documented by the Wexler Team and cross-referenced as Wexler Variety ID 1940-S 1¢ WDDR-008, this doubled die reverse variety appears on the 1940 San Francisco Lincoln Wheat Cent. The doubling on WDDR-008 is expressed as a spread toward the center — a centripetal doubling pattern — visible on both upper wheat ears, both wheat stems, the letters EPU within E PLURIBUS UNUM, and the decorative dots flanking the reverse inscriptions. Center-spread doubling of this type results from a hub rocking inward toward the die center between successive impressions, compressing the secondary image relative to the primary and producing thickened inner profiles on affected design elements. Two reverse die markers assist in attribution: a die scratch runs north from the upper left of the O in ONE, and die scratches run north-south inside the C of CENT. These scratches are transferred as fine raised lines on struck coins and are reliable confirmation points when the doubling alone is not conclusive. No significant obverse die markers are recorded for this variety. The 1940 San Francisco Wheat Cent is a common series date with a large mintage, meaning WDDR-008 examples are distributed across a broad base population of circulated coins. Collectors should screen the wheat ears and stems first for the centripetal thickening, then confirm with the O and C die scratch markers.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Marvin L. Young Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1940-S 1¢ WDDR-008
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References