1956 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-002

Description

Documented by VarietyVista with die markers UVC-1867 and DMR-004, cross-referenced as FS-101, and identified as a proof strike, this 1956 Lincoln Wheat Cent DDO-002 displays strong spread on LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, and the date — a comprehensive doubling pattern affecting the three most prominent inscription and numeral groups on the obverse. Four documented die stages provide an unusually detailed progression: Stage A at EDS shows a semicircle die gouge on the rim at the K-7 position with the reverse at EDS; Stage B advances both dies to MDS; Stage C brings both to late mid-die-state (LMDS); and Stage D at LDS is identified by a die scratch developing from the nose to the chin, with the reverse also at LDS. This four-stage progression documents the die's complete lifecycle from early production through terminal use. The FS-101 Cherrypickers' Guide listing confirms this as a major variety, the primary doubled die obverse for the 1956 proof date. As a proof issue, this coin was struck at the Philadelphia Mint on specially prepared planchets using polished dies, producing mirror-like fields that enhance the visibility of the strong spread across LIBERTY, the motto, and the date. The 1956 Lincoln Wheat Cent was produced in standard bronze composition (95% copper, 5% tin and zinc) at 3.11 grams with a 19.05 mm diameter. Victor David Brenner designed the obverse portrait. The four-stage documentation — from the K-7 rim gouge through two mid-stages to the nose-to-chin scratch — provides collectors with a comprehensive attribution framework that helps identify where in the die's production sequence any given specimen was struck.

Die Markers

• UVC-1867
• DMR-004
• Stage A:
• Semicircle die gouge on rim at K-7 – EDS
• Reverse is EDS
• Stage B:
• Obverse and Reverse are MDS
• Stage C:
• Obverse and Reverse are LMDS
• Stage D:
• Die scratch from nose to chin – LDS
• Reverse is LDS
• Stage E:
• Die scratch from nose has been worn away – VLDS
• Numerous die scratches through CENT – VLDS

Attribution History

• Discovered by Hugh T. Campbell
• FS-101
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References