1945 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-003

Description

Cataloged by VarietyVista as UVC-1663 with die-marriage reference DMR-004, this 1945 Philadelphia Lincoln Wheat Cent doubled die obverse displays strong spread on IN GOD WE TRUST alongside extra thickness on LIBERTY — two widely separated obverse elements confirming a hub-doubling event affecting a broad area of the die face. The "strong" classification on the motto indicates doubling readily visible under standard magnification, elevating this variety above the many light-spread DDOs cataloged for the Wheat Cent series. Three die stages document the die's progression. Stage A represents the early die state, though confirmation remains pending. Stage B shows the obverse at mid-die state paired with a reverse in late die state, the confirmed baseline condition. Stage C is the late die state, also awaiting confirmation. The 1945 Philadelphia Wheat Cent was struck in the standard bronze composition of 95% copper and 5% tin-zinc, two years after the emergency 1943 steel cent and one year after the return to a copper-based alloy in 1944. Doubled die varieties from the mid-1940s reflect a period when wartime demands continued to drive high die consumption at the Philadelphia Mint.

Die Markers

• UVC-1663
• DMR-004
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Obverse is MDS
• Reverse is LDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Delma K. Romines
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References