1945-D Doubled Die Obverse DDO-002

Description

Light extra thickness across the date, LIBERTY, and IN GOD WE TRUST characterizes this wartime 1945-D Lincoln wheat cent, documented as DDO-002 by VarietyVista with unique variety code UVC-1692 and die markers reference DMR-019. The three-stage die progression is cleanly delineated: Stage A finds both the obverse and reverse in early die state, Stage B shows both at mid-die-state, and Stage C records both at late die state, representing a complete lifecycle from fresh dies through retirement. This symmetrical staging -- where obverse and reverse track together through EDS, MDS, and LDS -- suggests the die pair remained married throughout its entire working life rather than being separated and re-paired, a circumstance that simplifies attribution since any specimen from this die pair will share the same stage relationship between faces. The "extra thickness" doubling type creates letters and numerals that appear bolder and wider than their design specifications, adding noticeable weight to each stroke without producing clearly separated doubled images. Denver struck 266.3 million cents in 1945, the final year of World War II, using shell-case brass composition (95% copper, 5% zinc) that had replaced the tin-bearing bronze alloy in 1944 as a wartime material conservation measure. Victor David Brenner's wheat ears reverse was in its thirty-sixth year of service. DDO-002 sits as the second doubled die obverse cataloged for the 1945-D cent, indicating at least two obverse dies with hub doubling were deployed that year. Collectors should examine the date digits under 10x magnification for the telltale widening that distinguishes hub doubling from normal die wear.

Die Markers

• UVC-1692
• DMR-019
• Stage A:
• Obverse and Reverse are EDS
• Stage B:
• Obverse and Reverse are MDS
• Stage C:
• Obverse and Reverse are LDS

Attribution History

• Discovered by Frank Baumann
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References