1941-D Doubled Die Obverse DDO-002

Description

Second documented doubled die obverse for the 1941 Denver Mint Lincoln Wheat Cent, DDO-002 shows medium extra thickness across all lettering and the date. VarietyVista assigned die markers UVC-1501 and DMR-011, with three die stages documented: Stage A in EDS (unconfirmed), Stage B in MDS (unconfirmed), and Stage C where both the obverse and reverse reach Late Die State (LDS). Medium extra thickness affecting all design elements indicates the hub shifted between impressions uniformly across the die face, creating a generalized thickening of letters and digits rather than a directional spread. The 1941-D Lincoln Cent was struck at the Denver Mint in the final full year before the United States entered World War II following the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. Denver produced over 128 million cents that year in standard 95% copper composition — a material that would become restricted for cent production in 1943 when the wartime steel cent replaced it. Die varieties from 1941 Denver represent the end of normal peacetime production practices, and the three documented die stages for DDO-002 suggest this die was used extensively before retirement. The medium extra thickness classification places this variety in the mid-range of doubling intensity — more pronounced than light varieties but less dramatic than the strong doubled dies that are visible to the unaided eye.

Die Markers

• UVC-1501
• DMR-011
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• Obverse and Reverse are LDS

Attribution History

• Discovered by James Wiles
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References