1961 Proof Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-003

Description

Documented as a Proof doubled die reverse, the 1961 Lincoln Memorial Cent WDDR-003 displays a spread towards the center on UNITED, ONE CENT, the designer's initials FG, the lower left Memorial, and slightly on the letters of AMERICA. The centripetal Class II displacement touches five distinct design areas spanning the full height of the reverse, from the upper legend UNITED through the central denomination and Memorial structure down to the AMERICA inscription and FG monogram. This broad vertical coverage indicates that the hub distortion during the secondary impression was sufficiently uniform to register across the entire die face, rather than being concentrated in a single quadrant as seen on some other 1961 DDR varieties. No significant obverse die markers have been recorded, but the reverse offers two useful diagnostics: a short vertical die gouge above the left side of the M in AMERICA, and light die scratches running in a west-to-northeast direction on the right Memorial base. These two markers, positioned in separate regions of the reverse, provide a reliable two-point confirmation system for collectors seeking to authenticate this specific die. The slight involvement of the AMERICA inscription — characterized as less pronounced than the spread on the other affected elements — suggests that the displacement diminished toward the upper portions of the die face, giving the variety a graduated intensity profile that aids in distinguishing it from other centripetal DDRs in the 1961 Proof sequence.

Die Markers

• Obverse: None significant. Reverse: A short vertical die gouge can be found above the left side of the M in AMERICA. Light die scratches run W/NE on the right Memorial base.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Wexler Team

External References