1945 Lincoln Wheat Cent - Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-014

Description

Bearing the attribution Wexler Variety ID: 1945 1¢ WDDO-014, this doubled die obverse originated at the Philadelphia Mint during a year when the nation's attention shifted from battlefield to homecoming. The 1945 cent was struck on planchets of recycled brass shell casings — 95% copper, 5% zinc — continuing the wartime composition adopted in 1944. This material differed from the pre-war bronze that included tin, and its properties affected die life and strike characteristics. Doubled dies result from the hubbing process: a steel hub is pressed into a softer die blank under tremendous pressure, and if alignment shifts between successive impressions, both positions are preserved in the finished die. Every coin struck from that die then carries the doubled image. Philadelphia's 1945 output exceeded one billion cents, requiring constant die replacement and multiplying the likelihood of hubbing errors. The Wexler team's documentation of WDDO-014 contributes to a comprehensive census that serves both collectors building specialized sets and researchers studying Mint production practices.

Cross References

• Wexler Variety ID: 1945 1¢ WDDO-014

External References