1943 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-007

Description

Seventh in the steel cent DDO sequence, WDDO-007 represents one of the earlier-cataloged doubled die obverse varieties for the 1943 Lincoln wheat cent, attributed by the Wexler Team as 1943 1¢ WDDO-007 without supplementary cross-references. Earlier numbers in the Wexler census frequently correspond to varieties discovered sooner in the research timeline, often because they exhibit more prominent or more easily detected doubling than higher-numbered listings. The 1943 steel cent's unique composition makes WDDO-007 immediately distinguishable from any other year's DDO variety: the zinc-coated steel planchet has a bright, silvery appearance in uncirculated condition and is responsive to a magnet, providing instant authentication. Philadelphia's wartime output of 684.6 million steel cents was the largest single-year production from the main facility during the 1940s, deploying hundreds of obverse working dies that were each created through the multi-impression hubbing process. Misalignment between hub impressions on the die that became WDDO-007 produced doubled design elements that were then reproduced on every coin struck from that die. The zinc coating's interaction with the steel substrate means that preservation quality significantly affects how visible the doubling appears, with bright, uncorroded examples showing the sharpest definition. Collectors who encounter WDDO-007 in well-preserved condition have a particularly interesting specimen, as the seventh DDO listing for this legendary date occupies a significant position in the variety's research history and likely exhibits diagnostics that make it identifiable at moderate magnification levels.

Attribution History

• Wexler Variety ID: 1943 1¢ WDDO-007
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References