1963 Lincoln Memorial Cent - Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-018

Description

Within the extensive roster of 1963 P-mint doubled die obverse varieties, WDDO-018 of the Lincoln Memorial Cent stands as further evidence of the frequency with which hubbing anomalies occurred during the production of Philadelphia's 754,110,000 business-strike cents. Doubled die varieties are created during die manufacture rather than during the striking of individual coins, which means that every cent struck from an affected die carries identical doubling, and the total population of a given variety is determined by the number of coins produced before the die was retired. Working dies at the Philadelphia Mint during the early 1960s typically lasted for several hundred thousand strikes before being replaced. This large theoretical supply is tempered by the fact that most 1963 cents entered circulation and experienced varying degrees of wear that can obscure subtle doubling. The 95% copper and 5% zinc composition used for 1963 cents gives mint-state specimens a rich copper-red color that fades to brown over time depending on storage conditions and environmental exposure. The obverse carries Brenner's portrait of Lincoln and the reverse features Gasparro's Lincoln Memorial. Without specific die marker details published for WDDO-018, collectors must compare the doubling pattern against authenticated examples or die photographs maintained in the Wexler Doubled Die Files. The year 1963 was the penultimate year of normal proof and business-strike production before the coin shortage disrupted operations.

External References