1943-D Doubled Die Obverse DDO-006

Description

Struck on zinc-coated steel planchets — the unique wartime composition adopted in 1943 when copper was diverted to military ammunition production — this 1943 Denver Mint Lincoln Cent carries the sixth cataloged doubled die obverse for the date. Medium spread on the 19 of the date provides the primary diagnostic, where the first two digits show visible hub displacement while the final digits may exhibit less pronounced doubling. Cataloged by VarietyVista under UVC-1577 with die marker reference DMR-027, three die stages document the die's working life. Stage A shows both obverse and reverse in Early Die State (EDS), while Stages B and C for Mid and Late Die State remain unconfirmed. The zinc-coated steel composition creates distinctive striking characteristics: the harder planchet material could produce sharper impressions under optimal conditions but also accelerated die wear, contributing to the numerous varieties documented for this wartime date. Six DDOs from the 1943-D reflects both the massive production volume — Denver struck hundreds of millions of steel cents — and the dedicated collector community that systematically examines these historically significant wartime coins.

Die Markers

• UVC-1577
• DMR-027
• Stage A:
• Obverse and Reverse are EDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Michael L. Ellis
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References