1944 (D) Lincoln Wheat Cent - Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-035

Description

Thirty-fifth obverse doubled die cataloged for the 1944-D Lincoln wheat cent by the Wexler Team, WDDO-035 exhibits extremely strong Class VI extra thickness on the date and LIBERTY, with the motto IN GOD WE TRUST showing the effect to a lesser but still visible extent. Class VI doubling — distorted hub doubling that manifests as extra thickness rather than clearly separated secondary images — is among the more challenging doubling classes to identify because it produces broadened design elements rather than the displaced parallel images associated with Class I pivot doubling. Denver struck approximately 430.6 million cents in 1944, the second year of production using recycled brass shell casings after the zinc-coated steel experiment of 1943. The "extremely strong" designation elevates WDDO-035 above the many light and medium Class VI varieties, indicating the extra thickness is substantial enough to be noticeable under moderate magnification. Die markers aid attribution: the obverse carries a short diagonal die gouge to the left of the lower bust truncation, while no significant reverse markers were recorded. The Wexler Team cataloged this variety under Wexler Variety ID: 1944-D 1¢ WDDO-035, with no additional cross-references known. The high sequence number — 035 — documents the exceptional depth of doubled die cataloging for the 1944-D wheat cent, reflecting both the enormous die consumption and the systematic examination of this widely available wartime date by variety researchers. Victor David Brenner's lettering on LIBERTY provides particularly effective surfaces for detecting Class VI thickening because the letter strokes have well-defined edges that appear perceptibly widened when extra thickness is present. Collectors should examine LIBERTY and the date under 10-15x magnification, comparing stroke widths against confirmed normal examples to identify the broadening effect, then check for the diagnostic die gouge near the bust truncation.

Cross References

• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1944-D 1¢ WDDO-035

External References