1943 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-014

Description

Produced on zinc-coated steel planchets during the wartime copper conservation effort, this fourteenth doubled die obverse for the 1943 Lincoln Wheat Cent shows light spread on the date, IN GOD WE TRUST, and LIBERTY, with medium spread on the 3 of the date providing the strongest diagnostic feature. The heavier displacement on the terminal digit makes the 3 the primary identification point, where the doubled image is more apparent than on surrounding elements. Cataloged by VarietyVista under die marker codes UVC-1570 and DMR-026, the variety is documented across three die states: Stage A with both obverse and reverse in early die state, Stage B with both sides in early-to-mid die state, and Stage C at late die state (unconfirmed). The 1943 steel cent holds a unique position in American numismatics as the only regular-issue United States coin struck on a ferrous planchet, adopted because copper was needed for wartime ammunition casings. Steel cents are magnetic and have a distinctive silvery appearance that sets them apart from all other Lincoln Cent issues. Finding a confirmed doubled die on this iconic wartime composition adds historical dimension to the variety.

Die Markers

• UVC-1570
• DMR-026
• Stage A:
• Obverse and Reverse are EDS
• Stage B:
• Obverse and Reverse are EMDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by James Wiles
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References