1945-D Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-018

Description

Bearing the eighteenth catalog position among Denver Mint 1945 Lincoln Wheat Cent doubled die obverses, WDDO-018 documents a die hubbing misalignment that left secondary impressions on the obverse design. With a Wexler Variety ID of 1945-D 1c WDDO-018, the high catalog number itself signals just how prolific DDO production was at the Denver facility during the final full year of World War II. Denver struck 266,268,000 cents in 1945, all on shell-case brass planchets — the wartime alloy that replaced tin-bearing bronze. The sheer volume of dies required to sustain that output multiplied the statistical likelihood of hub misalignment events, and the eighteen documented DDOs for this single date-mintmark combination reflect that industrial reality. Attribution of WDDO-018 depends on identifying the specific spread direction and magnitude on obverse elements such as LIBERTY, the date numerals, and the IN GOD WE TRUST motto, then cross-referencing those observations against the Wexler catalog to distinguish this variety from the seventeen other 1945-D DDOs. No unique die markers have been reported for this variety, so diagnosis rests on the doubling characteristics themselves. Examination under 7x to 10x magnification with a strong raking light positioned to create shadows within the doubled impressions provides the best diagnostic clarity. Shell-case brass specimens from 1945-D are common in circulated grades, making this an accessible variety for error-variety collectors working through the Wheat Cent series.

Attribution History

• Wexler Variety ID: 1945-D 1¢ WDDO-018
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References