1962 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-001

Description

Cataloged by the Wexler team as the first doubled die obverse in their 1962 Lincoln Memorial Cent listings, WDDO-001 is classified as a strong Class V clockwise spread pivoting from approximately the 11 o'clock position. In the Wexler classification system, Class V designates a pivoted hub doubling in which the working hub rotated slightly around an off-center pivot point during the die-making process, producing doubling that increases in magnitude the farther a design element sits from the pivot axis. With the pivot at roughly 11 o'clock — near the upper-left rim — design elements in the lower-right quadrant of the die experienced the greatest displacement, which explains why WDDO-001's doubling is most prominent on the date and the letters of LIBERTY, both of which occupy the right side and lower portions of the obverse far from the pivot point. The clockwise rotation means the secondary image trails in the direction of clockwise movement relative to each affected element. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint as a business-strike issue during 1962 — the final year of the original copper alloy composition — this variety emerged from a production run exceeding 606 million cents. The "strong" intensity rating indicates that the doubling is among the most visually prominent in the 1962 DDO population, making WDDO-001 a particularly desirable target for variety collectors who value both diagnostic clarity and the satisfaction of owning a well-documented Wexler-attributed piece.

Die Markers

• Obverse

Attribution History

• Discovered by Wexler Team

External References