1961 Proof Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-008

Description

Standing as one of the most visually complex doubled die reverse varieties in the 1961 Proof Lincoln Memorial Cent series, WDDR-008 exhibits close Class II quadrupling spread towards the center on the horizontal crossbars of the letters in ONE CENT, accompanied by strong doubling and tripling on the letters of USA, E PLURIBUS UNUM, the dots, the designer's initials FG, and CENT. The quadrupling — four discernible overlapping hub impressions — on the ONE CENT crossbars represents a rare intensity of multi-impression misregistration, indicating that this working die received at least four partially misaligned hub impressions during manufacture. The simultaneous presence of doubling, tripling, and quadrupling across different design elements creates a layered visual effect that is distinctive among the 1961 DDR population. No obverse die markers have been noted, but the reverse provides two clear diagnostics: a short vertical die gouge to the right of the bottom of the T in CENT, and a short die gouge below the C in CENT. Both markers are situated within or adjacent to the primary quadrupling zone on the denomination inscription, which means collectors can examine the ONE CENT area for both the multi-impression doubling and the authentication die gouges in a single focused examination. The Proof format amplifies the visual drama of this variety, as the mirrored fields and crisp letter edges make the multiple overlapping impressions particularly vivid under magnification, rendering the quadrupled crossbars and the tripled inscription letters unmistakable.

Die Markers

• Obverse: None noted. Reverse: A short, vertical die gouge can be found to the right of the bottom of the T in CENT. A short die gouge can be found below the C in CENT.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Wexler Team

External References