1943 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-005

Description

Among the documented doubled die obverse varieties on 1943 steel Lincoln Cents, WDDO-005 — Wexler Variety ID 1943 1¢ WDDO-005 — preserves a hub doubling event from one of the most unusual production years in Mint history. Steel cents were struck at all three operating mints in 1943, but this Philadelphia issue comes from the facility that produced the largest share of the year's output. The zinc-coated steel planchets weighed 2.70 grams, slightly less than the 3.11-gram bronze cents they replaced, and their distinctive silvery appearance made them immediately recognizable in circulation. Many 1943 cents were saved as wartime novelties, meaning that despite the high mintage, uncirculated examples with original zinc luster survive in reasonable numbers. This preservation rate benefits variety collectors, as doubled die diagnostics are most reliably examined on specimens with minimal wear. WDDO-005 represents one of the later-documented doubled die obverse events for the date, discovered through the systematic examination of surviving steel cent populations by dedicated variety researchers.

Attribution History

• Wexler Variety ID: 1943 1¢ WDDO-005
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References