1944 Doubled Die Reverse DDR-002

Description

Struck at the Philadelphia Mint during World War II, this 1944 Lincoln Wheat Cent DDR-002 displays light spread on the outside left wheat ear and extra thickness on E PLURIBUS. By 1944 the Mint had shifted to brass-composition planchets made from recycled shell casings after the zinc-coated steel experiment of 1943. Philadelphia produced over 1.4 billion cents that year, requiring hundreds of working dies and creating ample opportunity for hubbing errors. This variety is tracked under VarietyVista codes UVC-1321 and DMR-003 with three die stages. Stage A represents the early die state, currently unconfirmed. Stage B at mid-die-state shows the reverse in its middle progression along with a die gouge under the right bust point on the obverse. Stage C represents the late die state, also unconfirmed. Victor David Brenner's wheat ear reverse design, with its fine parallel lines, was especially susceptible to showing subtle doubling. The no-mintmark Philadelphia issue is the most common 1944 cent but remains collectible in variety form.

Die Markers

• UVC-1321
• DMR-003
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Reverse is MDS
• Die gouge under Right bust point – MDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by William McMurray
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References