1963 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-017

Description

Positioned as the seventeenth doubled die obverse in the 1963 P-mint Lincoln Memorial Cent catalog, WDDO-017 arose from a hubbing misalignment that left visible doubling on the obverse design elements of a working die at the Philadelphia Mint. The growing number of attributed DDO varieties for this single date reflects both the enormous scale of production, at 754,110,000 business strikes, and the sustained efforts of attribution specialists who have methodically examined this date over the decades since its release. Each discovery of a new DDO variety for 1963 confirms that the die manufacturing process during this period generated hubbing anomalies at a consistent rate, and the statistical expectation for additional undiscovered varieties remains plausible given the number of working dies that were consumed. Business-strike cents from Philadelphia entered general circulation without a mint mark, blending into everyday commerce alongside millions of other copper cents, and today they are most commonly found in uncirculated condition within original bank-wrapped rolls or in circulated condition extracted from accumulations. The coin features the standard 95% copper and 5% zinc composition, Victor David Brenner's obverse portrait, and Frank Gasparro's Lincoln Memorial reverse. Collectors should note that the absence of enumerated die markers for WDDO-017 means attribution relies on matching the specific doubling characteristics against published reference photographs. A good quality loupe of 10x or higher and strong directional lighting remain essential tools for anyone cherry-picking this date for doubled die varieties.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Wexler Team

External References