1962 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-004
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Description
Listed by the Wexler team under the designation 1962 1¢ Pr WDDO-004, this proof Lincoln Memorial Cent doubled die obverse variety was struck at the Philadelphia Mint from proof dies that received a secondary hub impression during the die-making process. The 1962 proof production run totaled 3,218,019 pieces, but the limited working life of proof dies — typically around 3,000 impressions per die — means that any individual proof variety is constrained to a small fraction of the total mintage. WDDO-004 represents one of several proof DDO varieties identified for this date, reflecting the large number of proof dies cycled through production and the corresponding number of opportunities for hub doubling to occur during die manufacture. Proof dies are produced with the same hubbing process as business-strike dies, and the potential for slight misalignment between hub impressions exists regardless of whether the finished die is destined for proof or circulation coinage. What distinguishes proof DDO collecting is the superior surface quality of the struck coins: the mirror fields and frosted devices characteristic of proof cents provide a high-contrast backdrop that can make even subtle doubling more detectable than it would be on a business strike. Collectors examining this variety should inspect the obverse inscriptions and date under 10x to 16x magnification, using diffused lighting to minimize the reflective interference that proof surfaces can introduce, and should cross-reference any observed doubling against known die markers to confirm the specific WDDO-004 attribution.
Attribution History
- s:; Wexler Variety ID: 1962 1¢ Pr WDDO-004
- Expert attribution by Wexler Team