1945 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-012

Description

Recorded under Wexler Variety ID: 1945 1¢ WDDO-012, this Philadelphia-mint doubled die obverse emerged from a year in which the United States struck more than one billion Lincoln Wheat cents. The shell-case brass composition — 95% copper, 5% zinc, manufactured from recycled military cartridge cases — represented the Mint's response to wartime metal shortages after the 1943 steel cent experiment. Each working die was created by pressing a master hub into a die blank, and any displacement during that process produced the doubled die effect that variety collectors prize. Reaching WDDO-012 indicates the depth of scholarly attention devoted to this date. For cherrypickers, the key lies in examining raised design elements — particularly IN GOD WE TRUST and the date — under 5x to 10x magnification. Brenner's obverse design, by 1945 in continuous use for 36 years, had become one of the most recognizable images in American commerce. As World War II ended and returning veterans flooded the economy, these small copper coins facilitated millions of daily transactions across the nation.

Attribution History

• Wexler Variety ID: 1945 1¢ WDDO-012
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References