1955 Lincoln Wheat Cent - Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-008

Description

While the 1955 Lincoln wheat cent is most famous for WDDO-001 — the legendary dramatically doubled die that ranks among the most recognized error coins in American numismatics — WDDO-008 documents a subtler doubling event from the same year's die production. Rather than the gross letter separation of its celebrated sibling, WDDO-008 manifests as an extra eyelid below Lincoln's normal eyelid on Victor David Brenner's obverse portrait. The Wexler Team recorded numerous north-south die scratches to the right of Lincoln's bust as the primary obverse die marker, with no significant reverse markers, and assigned the designation Wexler Variety ID: 1955 1¢ WDDO-008. Extra eyelid varieties occupy a specific niche in Lincoln cent collecting — the portrait's eye area is small enough that even minimal hub displacement creates a visibly doubled eyelid, making this zone one of the most sensitive indicators of obverse doubling on the Lincoln design. The die scratches to the right of the bust provide a secondary attribution tool, helping distinguish WDDO-008 from other 1955 doubled die obverses that affect the eyelid area. Collectors searching through 1955 cents hoping for the rare WDDO-001 should be aware of these subsidiary varieties, which offer legitimate doubled die collecting opportunities at far more accessible price points.

Cross References

• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1955 1¢ WDDO-008

External References