1943 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-017

Description

Cataloged by VarietyVista as DDO-017 on the 1943 Philadelphia Lincoln wheat cent, this doubled die obverse exhibits a medium spread to the south manifesting as an extra eyelid above Lincoln's normal eyelid. While the spread is concentrated in one area, the die's life history is extensively documented across three stages under UVC-2707 and DMR-031. Stage A represents an unconfirmed early die state. Stage B, at early-to-mid die state, reveals a die crack running southwest across the shoulder to the rim, a second crack heading southeast across the lapel to the rim, die clash evidence at the throat and behind the neck, and a light die crack through the upper right wheat grains to the rim. Stage C in late die state remains unconfirmed. The eyelid doubling, though requiring magnification to appreciate fully, represents a sought-after diagnostic among 1943 steel cent variety collectors, as the zinc-coated steel planchets of that year tend to preserve fine die details differently than copper. The progressive cracking visible in Stage B provides reliable secondary confirmation of the die pairing.

Die Markers

• UVC-2707
• DMR-031
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Die crack Southwest across shoulder to rim – EMDS
• Die crack Southeast across lapel to rim
• Die clash at throat and behind neck
• Light die crack upper Right wheat grains to rim – EMDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by David Mulberry and James Sprankle
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References