1961 Proof Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-013
Error
Description
Encompassing both inscription and architectural elements in its doubling footprint, the 1961 Proof Lincoln Memorial Cent WDDR-013 carries a close spread towards the center on the designer's initials FG, the lower right portion of the Memorial building, and the inscription AMERICA. The involvement of the lower right Memorial — including portions of the columns, cornice line, and base detail — adds dimensional interest to this variety, since Frank Gasparro's architectural rendering provides extended straight lines and geometric forms on which the centripetal Class II displacement manifests as measurable offset or thickening that supplements the letter-edge doubling visible on FG and AMERICA. No significant obverse die markers have been recorded. The reverse presents a diagnostic die scratch running in a southwest-to-northeast direction below the second bush from the left on the right Memorial base. This scratch's location reference — specified relative to the landscaping elements flanking the Memorial's foundation — exemplifies the precision of die-marker documentation in modern variety attribution, where even small marks are cataloged with sufficient positional detail to enable reliable identification. Collectors examining Proof specimens for this variety should begin with the lower right Memorial area and the FG initials, where the centripetal spread tends to produce the most visible displacement, then confirm the die scratch's position relative to the second bush on the right base. The Proof striking process preserves these fine details with the fidelity necessary for confident attribution at magnifications of 7x and above.
Die Markers
- Obverse: None significant. Reverse: A short die scratch runs SW/NE below the second bush from the left on the right Memorial base.
Attribution History
- Discovered by Wexler Team