1962 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-012
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Description
Cataloged under the Wexler Variety ID 1962 1¢ WDDO-012 with no additional cross-references known, this regular-strike Lincoln Memorial Cent variety features a very strong Class II spread directed toward the rim on the date — among the most pronounced date-focused doubled dies in the 1962 catalog. Class II in the Wexler doubled die classification system designates distorted hub doubling, a mechanism in which the secondary hub impression is slightly compressed, expanded, or dimensionally altered relative to the primary, producing a displacement pattern that varies in character across different parts of the die face. The "very strong" intensity rating elevates WDDO-012 above the merely strong or moderate varieties that populate much of the 1962 listings, indicating that the secondary date image is plainly visible under modest magnification — often discernible at 5x to 8x — and may even be detectable with the unaided eye on well-preserved specimens. The "toward the rim" direction means the secondary digits are displaced outward, creating doubled images that appear to extend beyond the primary date numerals toward the coin's edge. On the obverse, a diagonal die gouge in the field below Lincoln's chin provides a prominent identification marker that can be confirmed independently of the doubling. The reverse carries two additional diagnostics: a dot-like die gouge near the center of the second bay of the Lincoln Memorial, and a die gouge to the left of the upper I in AMERICA. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint during the final year of the original copper alloy, WDDO-012's very strong doubling and clean die markers make it one of the more accessible and rewarding attribution targets in the 1962 Wexler DDO series.
Attribution History
- Discovered by John A. Wexler Cross References: None known
- None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1962 1¢ WDDO-012
- Expert attribution by Wexler Team