1947 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-005

Description

Fifth and highest-numbered DDO variety documented for the 1947 Lincoln wheat cent, WDDO-005 was attributed by the Wexler Team under the designation 1947 1¢ WDDO-005 with no CONECA or Fivaz-Stanton cross-references. The 1947 Philadelphia cent saw a mintage of 190.6 million pieces, a significant drop from the near-billion output of 1946 as postwar coinage demand normalized. Five DDO varieties across a mintage of this size represents a moderate incidence of hub misalignment, consistent with the production practices of the era. The late 1940s wheat cent series has been extensively studied by variety specialists who have methodically worked through rolls, bags, and accumulations dating to the postwar period, identifying doubled dies that might otherwise have remained anonymous among millions of seemingly identical coins. WDDO-005, as the last-numbered DDO for 1947, may represent either a later discovery or a variety with subtler doubling characteristics that required more careful examination to identify and document. Hub doubling on 1947 cents affects the standard obverse design elements inherited from Victor David Brenner's 1909 original: the Lincoln portrait, IN GOD WE TRUST, LIBERTY, and the date. Collectors examining 1947 cents for this variety should compare their observations against all five WDDO listings (001 through 005) to determine which specific die produced their specimen, since the spread direction, class of doubling, and affected elements will differ among the five varieties. The 1947 wheat cent remains readily available in lower grades from circulation finds and estate accumulations, providing affordable raw material for variety searching.

Attribution History

• Wexler Variety ID: 1947 1¢ WDDO-005
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References