1950 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-001

Description

Documented by VarietyVista, the 1950 DDO-001 Lincoln Wheat Cent displays light spread on the lower letters IBERTY of LIBERTY — a selective doubling pattern affecting only the latter portion of the motto while the initial L remains unaffected, suggesting the hub pivot point was located near the L position with displacement increasing progressively through the remaining letters. Die markers UVC-3428 / DMR-006 track three stages: Stage A at EDS (unconfirmed); Stage B at MDS featuring light die scratches running north-south on the obverse, a die chip in the lower left wheat lines, and a die break in the lower right wheat grains; and Stage C at LDS (unconfirmed). The simultaneous die chip and die break on the reverse wheat stalk elements in Stage B, combined with the obverse die scratches, documents concurrent deterioration across both dies in this marriage — suggesting both had been in service for a comparable duration when Stage B characteristics developed. The Lincoln Wheat Cent was struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 1950, composed of 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc, weighing 3.11 grams with a 19.05 mm diameter. Victor David Brenner designed the obverse portrait of Abraham Lincoln, and the wheat ears reverse was in its forty-second year of continuous service. The 1950 Philadelphia Mint cent had a mintage of approximately 272.6 million pieces. As the primary DDO listing (DDO-001) for the 1950 date, this variety holds the lead catalog position, typically reserved for either the most prominent or the first documented doubled die obverse within a date.

Die Markers

• UVC-3428
• DMR-006
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Light die scratches North-South on Obverse – MDS
• Die chip in lower Left wheat lines – MDS
• Die break in lower Right wheat grains
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by John Knabe
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References