1957 Doubled Die Reverse DDR-016

Description

Sixteenth in the reverse doubled die census for the 1957 Lincoln wheat cent, DDR-016 displays medium spread on E PLURIBUS UNUM and both wheat ears and stems — the botanical design elements that gave the "wheat cent" its collector nickname and that provide organic contours particularly responsive to hub doubling detection. VarietyVista assigned identifiers UVC-1911 and DMR-024, documenting three die stages: Stage A at early die state (unconfirmed), Stage B where both reverse and obverse surfaces show mid die state characteristics, and Stage C at late die state (unconfirmed). The confirmed MDS designation for Stage B establishes that specimens with moderate die wear have been verified. The notation "Proof" confirms this doubled die originated on a proof production die, distinguishing it from business strike DDRs and placing it within the carefully controlled proof striking process used at Philadelphia. Victor David Brenner's wheat ears reverse, featuring two symmetrical wheat stalks flanking ONE CENT with E PLURIBUS UNUM arcing across the top, provided the canvas for this variety during the penultimate year of the wheat reverse design — 1957 was the last full production year before the design's final issue in 1958 and its replacement by Frank Gasparro's Lincoln Memorial reverse in 1959. The medium spread on both wheat ears and stems means the doubling affects the organic botanical elements symmetrically across the reverse, with the individual grain kernels and stalk segments showing displaced secondary impressions alongside the doubled E PLURIBUS UNUM motto. Philadelphia produced approximately 1.25 million proof sets in 1957, and proof dies received the same hubbing process as business strike dies, making them equally susceptible to hub doubling events. Collectors should examine the wheat ears under 15x magnification, where the medium spread creates visible secondary impressions on the grain details and stem segments.

Die Markers

• UVC-1911
• DMR-024
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Reverse and Obverse are MDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Timothy Wissert
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References