1956-D Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-016

Description

America's postwar baby boom drove unprecedented demand for circulating coinage throughout the 1950s, and the Denver Mint's response was production on an industrial scale that dwarfed prewar output. The 1956-D cent's mintage of over 1.098 billion pieces testifies to that demand, as the expanding economy required vast quantities of small-denomination coins for daily commerce. WDDO-016 is the sixteenth doubled die obverse documented for this prolific date, a variety born from the die manufacturing process when a hub impression was delivered to a working die at a slight offset from the preceding impression. On Brenner's obverse, the areas most susceptible to visible doubling include the tall vertical strokes of LIBERTY, the fine serifs of the motto, and the date digits positioned to the right of Lincoln's portrait. Examining these zones under a loupe or stereo microscope is the standard approach for DDO attribution. Cataloged under Wexler Variety ID 1956-D 1¢ WDDO-016.

Attribution History

• Wexler Variety ID: 1956-D 1¢ WDDO-016
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References