1946-D Doubled Die Obverse DDO-001

Description

Holding the distinction of being the first cataloged doubled die obverse for the 1946-D Lincoln wheat cent, DDO-001 presents light extra thickness on the date. The doubling's confinement to the date area alone suggests a hub displacement axis that produced its widest separation at the bottom of the die, where the date sits farthest from the obverse's center. Cataloged under UVC-1726 / DMR-022 by VarietyVista, die stage progression records three states: Stage A at Early Die State (unconfirmed), Stage B at Mid Die State with a minor split serif repunched mintmark (RPM) also visible, and Stage C at Late Die State (unconfirmed). The Stage B notation of a minor split serif RPM means this die also exhibits a subtle mintmark repunching — the D shows a faint secondary impression visible as a split in the letter's serifs. This dual-variety die, carrying both a doubled die obverse and a minor RPM, offers collectors two distinct die-making anomalies on a single coin. Denver Mint wheat cents from the immediate postwar period saw heavy circulation, making well-preserved examples of this variety challenging to locate.

Die Markers

• UVC-1726
• DMR-022
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Minor split serif RPM – MDS
• Reverse is MDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by James Wiles
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References