1960 Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-021

Description

Attributed by the Wexler Team as 1960 1¢ Pr WDDR-021, this doubled die reverse variety on the 1960 Lincoln Memorial Cent Proof Small Date reveals an extremely close spread towards the center on the letters of USA. The centerward displacement is subtle enough to test even experienced attributors, as the secondary hub impression barely separates from the primary on the country abbreviation — demanding at least 16x magnification and careful lighting to resolve. Because this is a proof issue, each specimen was struck multiple times on a specially prepared planchet using polished dies, yielding the mirror-like fields that can actually aid detection by providing high contrast against any displaced design element. The obverse confirms a Small Date hub. A light die scratch runs south-southwest from the bottom of the Y in LIBERTY, providing a reliable obverse diagnostic that anchors attribution to this specific working die. On the reverse, a small die gouge can be found on the upper right of the O in ONE, offering a precise confirmation point adjacent to the denomination text. With proof dies typically retired after approximately 3,000 impressions at the Philadelphia Mint, the surviving population of WDDR-021 is inherently limited. No other cross-references have been assigned beyond the Wexler listing.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Brian Ribar Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1960 1¢ Pr WDDR-021
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References