1943-S Doubled Die Obverse DDO-003

Description

VarietyVista catalogs this 1943-S Lincoln Wheat Cent under die markers UVC-1602 and DMR-013, documenting DDO-003 with light spread confined to LIBERTY — the sole obverse inscription element showing detectable hub doubling on this die. Single-element involvement, where only LIBERTY carries visible spread while the date, motto, and portrait remain below the detection threshold, indicates the hub displacement vector aligned narrowly with the LIBERTY position on the die face, generating sufficient offset at that specific location while falling short of the visibility threshold everywhere else. Stage A documents Early Die State on the obverse, accompanied by a diagnostic light die crack extending from the upper left wheat grains to the rim on the reverse, also in EDS — establishing that this die pairing already showed incipient reverse die failure from early in its service life. Stages B (MDS) and C (LDS) are unconfirmed, leaving open whether additional die cracks or surface deterioration developed in later production states. The 1943-S was struck at the San Francisco Mint in the wartime zinc-coated steel composition — the only year Lincoln Cents were produced in steel rather than copper, as the copper alloy was diverted to military ammunition production during World War II. The steel composition at 2.7 grams makes these coins magnetic and prone to corrosion, and surviving specimens frequently exhibit surface issues ranging from rust spots to zinc coating loss. The San Francisco mintmark S appears on the obverse below the date, and collectors should note that the light spread on LIBERTY may be more difficult to detect on steel cents with compromised surfaces, making well-preserved, original-surface specimens the most reliable candidates for DDO-003 attribution.

Die Markers

• UVC-1602
• DMR-013
• Stage A:
• Obverse is EDS
• Light die crack from upper Left wheat grains to rim – EDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by James Wiles
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References