1958 Doubled Die Reverse DDR-004

Description

Exhibiting light spread on E PLURIBUS UNUM and both upper wheat ears that increases in magnitude from left to right, this fourth doubled die reverse for the 1958 Lincoln Wheat Cent is a proof issue documenting a hubbing error on what would be the final year of the wheat ears reverse design. The left-to-right increasing spread pattern is characteristic of a pivoted or tilted hub impression, where one side of the die received more displacement than the other during the second hubbing. Die markers are extensively documented: UVC-1936, DMR-008, with Stage A at Early Die State (unconfirmed), Stage B showing a small die gouge on the upper C of CENT and a small die gouge on the upper vest at Late to Mid Die State, and Stage C in Late Die State where the vest gouge has worn away. The comments note this is a proof strike, meaning it was produced at the Philadelphia Mint on polished planchets with specially prepared dies for collector sets. The 1958 proof set holds particular significance as the last proof set to feature the wheat ears reverse that had graced Lincoln Cents since Victor David Brenner's original 1909 design. With only four documented DDR varieties on the 1958 proof, each represents a relatively scarce find within the proof die variety specialty. Cataloged by VarietyVista, this variety sits at the intersection of proof collecting, doubled die research, and end-of-series numismatics.

Die Markers

• UVC-1936
• DMR-008
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Small die gouge on upper C of CENT – LMDS
• Small die gouge on upper vest – LMDS
• Stage C:
• Reverse is LDS
• Die gouge on vest is gone – LDS

Attribution History

• Discovered by James Wiles
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References