1944 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-013

Description

Thirteenth in the Wexler DDO catalog for 1944, this variety extends the documentation of a date that ranks among the most variety-rich in Lincoln Wheat Cent history. The extraordinary Philadelphia production of 1.43 billion shell-case brass cents consumed an estimated several hundred obverse dies through the year — each prepared through the multi-impression hubbing process that occasionally produced misalignment. Wexler Variety ID: 1944 1¢ WDDO-013 is the sole published catalog reference, with no recorded die markers or competing attributions. At position thirteen, the doubling characteristics likely sit at the boundary between varieties readily visible under moderate magnification and those requiring more demanding examination conditions to confirm. The 1944 cent date is part of the three-year shell-case brass composition window (1944-1946) sandwiched between the 1943 steel cent experiment and the return to standard bronze, making it of interest both as a wartime variety and a composition curiosity. Collectors should compare spread direction and magnitude carefully to distinguish WDDO-013 from the twelve preceding entries.

Attribution History

• Wexler Variety ID: 1944 1¢ WDDO-013
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References