1943-D Doubled Die Obverse DDO-012

Description

Documented by VarietyVista with die markers UVC-1591 and DMR-043, this 1943-D Lincoln Wheat Cent DDO-012 displays light spread on LIBE of LIBERTY — a partial-word doubling pattern where the hub displacement produced visible separation on only the first four letters of the seven-letter word, indicating the displacement vector's geometry placed maximum effect on the left-side letters while diminishing before reaching the full inscription's right end. Three die stages are documented: Stage A in early die state (EDS), unconfirmed; Stage B in early-to-mid die state (EMDS) showing a die crack from the lapel to the rim, a die crack across the shoulder to the rim west of V.D.B., and a small die chip on the T of CENT; and Stage C in late die state (LDS), unconfirmed. The Stage B die crack running from the lapel to the rim and the parallel crack across the shoulder to the rim create a system of structural failures radiating outward from the portrait area, documenting stress concentration patterns in the obverse die. The 1943-D Lincoln Wheat Cent was struck at the Denver Mint in the unique zinc-coated steel composition (low-carbon steel with zinc plating) adopted for the single year of 1943 when copper was diverted to wartime military needs. The coin weighs approximately 2.7 grams with a diameter of 19.05 mm. Victor David Brenner designed the obverse, and the small die chip on the T of CENT documented at Stage B represents early reverse deterioration that developed concurrently with the obverse cracking. The wartime steel composition created different die wear characteristics than the standard bronze alloy, potentially affecting how quickly die cracks and other structural failures developed during production.

Die Markers

• UVC-1591
• DMR-043
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Die crack from lapel to rim – EMDS
• Die crack across shoulder to rim West of V. D. B.
• Small die chip on T of CENT – EMDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Brian Ribar
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References