1954-S Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-006

Description

Cataloged by the Wexler Team as 1954-S 1¢ WDDO-006, this Lincoln Wheat Cent exhibits an eyelid showing closely to the south — a subtle doubled die feature where the secondary hub impression displaced Lincoln’s eyelid detail slightly downward, creating a faint secondary ridge visible under magnification. Obverse die markers are extensive: circular die scratches appear around most of the outer obverse, a heavy die gouge sits under the bust to the right of the V.D.B. designer’s initials, a clash impression is present at the neck, and the mintmark is positioned extremely close to the tip of the 5 in the date — this last feature serving as a quick preliminary identification point before detailed doubling examination. Reverse markers include an early die crack or pre-die crack impression in the outer left wheat grains, die scratches running northeast to southwest throughout much of the reverse, and several short heavy die scratches in NUM of UNUM. The pre-die crack impression on the reverse is diagnostically interesting as it represents the initial stages of structural die failure before a full crack developed. No cross-references to other cataloging systems are currently known. The 1954-S Lincoln Wheat Cent was struck at the San Francisco Mint in 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc, weighing 3.11 grams with a 19.05 mm diameter. Victor David Brenner designed the obverse portrait, and the wheat ears reverse served in its forty-sixth year. The 1954-S had a relatively modest mintage, and the proximity of the mintmark to the date digit provides an unusually convenient screening criterion for collectors sorting through quantities of 1954-S cents in search of this specific die pairing.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Brian Ribar Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1954-S 1¢ WDDO-006
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References