1948-D Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-001

Description

Carrying the primary DDO designation for the 1948-D Lincoln wheat cent, WDDO-001 displays the characteristic extra eyelid below Lincoln's normal eyelid — the portrait doubling signature that confirms a hub misalignment on Victor David Brenner's design. A short die gouge can be found below the E in LIBERTY, providing the key obverse die marker that distinguishes this working die from others in the 1948-D die census. No significant reverse die markers were noted. The Wexler Team cataloged this as Wexler Variety ID: 1948-D 1c WDDO-001, with no other known cross-references. Denver struck approximately 317.6 million wheat cents in 1948, maintaining high post-war production levels as the economy transitioned to peacetime consumer demand. As WDDO-001, this holds the benchmark position among documented obverse doubled dies for the 1948-D date — either the first discovered or the most significant variety in the catalog, establishing the reference point against which subsequent WDDO numbers are measured. The die gouge below the E in LIBERTY — a small raised bump on the coin's surface corresponding to a depression in the die steel — offers an efficient screening approach. Collectors can examine the field area directly beneath the E of LIBERTY under moderate magnification, and upon finding the characteristic raised mark, proceed to the more painstaking portrait examination to confirm the extra eyelid. The WDDO-001 designation for a Denver issue of this era reflects the dedicated work of die variety researchers in systematically cataloging even subtle portrait doublings across the extensive wheat cent series.

Attribution History

• Discovered by James C. Moreland Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1948-D 1¢ WDDO-001
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References