1961 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-007
Error
Description
The seventh doubled die obverse documented for the 1961 Philadelphia Lincoln Memorial Cent, WDDO-007 provides further evidence of the hubbing variability that characterized die production in the early Memorial reverse era. When Frank Gasparro's new reverse design replaced the longstanding wheat-ears motif in 1959, the Mint was simultaneously managing the transition in die-making technology, and the multi-impression hubbing process remained standard practice. Each impression carried the risk of slight misregistration, and WDDO-007 is the product of one such misalignment on a die destined for regular-strike coinage. As a Philadelphia issue, the coin carries no mintmark, and the 1961 date's high production volume meant that numerous obverse dies were manufactured and placed into service throughout the year. While specific die markers and cross-references to other attribution systems such as CONECA have not been published for this variety, the doubled die obverse designation confirms that visible doubling is present on the obverse design elements. Collectors should examine Lincoln's portrait, the date, the motto, and the word LIBERTY under magnification to identify the characteristic secondary image that distinguishes WDDO-007 from other DDO varieties in the 1961 sequence.
Attribution History
- Discovered by Wexler Team