1942-D Doubled Die Obverse DDO-001

Description

Designated DDO-001 — the primary doubled die obverse for the 1942-D Lincoln Wheat Cent — this variety shows a medium spread as a bar of extra thickness under the L of LIBERTY, one of the more distinctive doubling signatures in the Lincoln Wheat Cent series. Die markers UVC-1536 and DMR-015 provide VarietyVista cross-reference identifiers. Three die stages are documented. Stage A is Early Die State, currently unconfirmed. Stage B is Middle Die State, confirmed by a die scratch running northeast from the upper 1 of the date, with both obverse and reverse in mid-die state condition. Stage C is Late Die State, unconfirmed. The DDO-001 designation reflects its role as the first and most significant obverse doubled die pairing for this date. The 1942-D was the final year of the 95% copper Lincoln Wheat Cent before wartime demands shifted production to zinc-coated steel cents in 1943. The bar-under-L doubling is identifiable on well-circulated examples, extending appeal to cherrypickers working worn material in dealer inventories.

Die Markers

• UVC-1536
• DMR-015
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Die scratch Northeast from upper 1 of date – MDS
• Reverse is MDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Lee Rogers
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References