1961-D Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-004
Error
Description
Attributed by the Wexler Team as 1961-D 1¢ WDDO-004, this doubled die obverse on the 1961 Lincoln Memorial Cent from the Denver Mint presents doubling as an extra eyelid below Lincoln's normal eyelid — the same diagnostic location as WDDO-003, though on a distinctly different working die. The extra eyelid effect results from a slight vertical displacement between successive hub impressions during die manufacture, causing the delicate eyelid feature to be impressed twice at marginally different positions. Detecting this variety requires careful examination of Lincoln's eye area under magnification, comparing the eyelid region against a confirmed normal specimen to identify the secondary lid line below the primary. No significant die markers were identified on either the obverse or reverse, which means that while both WDDO-003 and WDDO-004 share the same extra eyelid diagnostic, they must be distinguished by their respective die marker profiles — WDDO-003 carries extensive stage-documented markers including RPM features, while WDDO-004 lacks such additional diagnostics. Collectors should be especially careful not to conflate the two varieties. No other cross-references have been assigned beyond the Wexler listing, and the Denver Mint's high 1961 cent production volume suggests a reasonable potential survivor population from this die.
Attribution History
- Discovered by John A. Wexler Cross References: None known
- None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1961-D 1¢ WDDO-004
- Expert attribution by Wexler Team