1943-S Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-011

Description

Portrait doubling on Victor David Brenner's Lincoln design manifests as an extra eyelid below the normal eyelid on WDDO-011 of the 1943-S Lincoln wheat cent — one of the iconic wartime steel cents produced when copper was diverted to military ammunition production. The zinc-coated steel composition makes these cents magnetically attracted and visually distinct from their bronze predecessors. San Francisco produced approximately 191.5 million steel cents in 1943, an enormous output that reflects wartime demand for circulating small change. The Wexler Team documented this as Wexler Variety ID: 1943-S 1¢ WDDO-011, noting no significant obverse or reverse die markers on the examined specimen. Extra eyelid varieties represent a specific category of doubled die obverse where the hub misalignment shifts Lincoln's facial features just enough to create a second eyelid impression beneath the primary one — a small but diagnostically significant displacement that proves the die received two distinct hub impressions. On steel cents, the zinc coating can obscure fine details, so collectors should seek specimens with intact plating and minimal corrosion to best observe the eyelid doubling. The WDDO-011 designation places this among numerous documented obverse doubled dies for the date, reflecting the extensive cherry-picking attention that collectors have lavished on the popular 1943 steel cent series.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Brandon Van Ness Cross References: None known Comments: No
• None known Comments: No; Wexler Variety ID: 1943-S 1¢ WDDO-011
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References