1963 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-072

Description

Variety attribution is both a science and a craft, and proof specimens like the 1963 Lincoln Memorial Cent WDDO-072 demonstrate why. The mirror-like surfaces produced by the Philadelphia Mint's proof die preparation — chrome plating, selective frosting, and hand polishing — create an examination environment in which even minor secondary hub images become visible under controlled lighting and magnification. This sensitivity is a double-edged tool: it makes genuine doubled die varieties easier to detect but also demands that the attributor distinguish true hub doubling from die polish lines, die fatigue, and other surface artifacts that can mimic doubling on proof coins. WDDO-072 was attributed by the Wexler Team after passing this scrutiny and carries the catalog designation Wexler Variety ID 1963 1c Pr WDDO-072. The doubled image on this die was created during the hubbing process, when the working hub shifted between successive impressions into the die blank, permanently embedding a secondary design alongside the primary image. Individual proof die pairs at the Philadelphia Mint typically lasted approximately 3,000 strikes before retirement, meaning each proof DDO variety was transmitted to a correspondingly limited population of coins. The total 1963 proof Lincoln cent production of 3,075,645 pieces makes original proof sets from this date relatively accessible for variety searching, and the year's position as the last before the coin shortage suspension adds historical weight to proof issues from this date. The coin was struck on a 95% copper and 5% zinc planchet.

Attribution History

• Wexler Variety ID: 1963 1¢ Pr WDDO-072
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References