1946 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-004

Description

Cataloged by VarietyVista with Universal Variety Code UVC-1713 and Die Marker Reference DMR-005, this 1946 Lincoln Wheat Cent doubled die obverse displays light spread and extra thickness on the date digits and the word TRUST — hallmarks of a minor but genuine hub doubling event during die preparation at the Philadelphia Mint. Three die stages have been tracked for DDO-004: Stage A is classified as Early Die State (EDS) though it remains unconfirmed pending additional specimen examination, Stage B documents both the obverse and reverse at Mid-Die State (MDS) where moderate wear has begun modifying the die surface, and Stage C represents Late Die State (LDS) which also awaits confirmation with verified specimens. The progression from EDS through MDS to LDS traces the working die's entire production life, and assembling examples from each stage allows collectors to reconstruct how the doubling's appearance evolved as die wear accumulated. VarietyVista notes that specimens are still needed for new color photography and updated die stage documentation, indicating that DDO-004 remains an active research target within the Wheat Cent doubled die community. The 1946 date marks the first full post-World War II production year, when the Philadelphia Mint returned to standard copper alloy composition after the wartime shell case cent years of 1944-1945. Hub doubling on 1946 cents reflects the continuation of production methods where multiple hub impressions were required to fully sink the design into each working die — a process that remained standard until single-squeeze hubbing technology was adopted decades later.

Die Markers

• UVC-1713
• DMR-005
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Obverse and Reverse are MDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Charlie Adkins
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References