1965 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-001

Description

The first cataloged Wexler doubled die obverse for the 1965 Lincoln cent, WDDO-001 was struck during a historic transition year for American coinage. Congress passed the Coinage Act of 1965 in response to a nationwide coin shortage driven by silver hoarding, and the legislation mandated three sweeping changes: all mint marks were removed from coins for a three-year period (1965—1967), proof set production was suspended in favor of Special Mint Sets, and the cent's composition was modified from 95% copper with 5% tin-zinc to 95% copper with 5% zinc, eliminating tin entirely. The Philadelphia Mint produced 1,497,224,900 business strike cents in 1965 — all without mint marks — requiring thousands of working dies manufactured through the multi-impression hubbing process where misalignment between successive hub applications could embed doubled images in the die steel. On the obverse, a die gouge runs WNW from the rim to the right of the front point of the bust, providing a key attribution marker. The reverse carries multiple diagnostic features: die scratches running from NW to SE through the first two Memorial bays, a die scratch running SE from the bottom of the S in PLURIBUS to the top of the Memorial roof, a die scratch from NW to SE north of the designer's initials, and additional die scratches throughout the reverse surface. These extensive reverse die markers offer collectors multiple confirmation points for positive identification. Struck on a 3.11-gram, 19mm planchet of 95% copper and 5% zinc.

Die Markers

• Obverse: A die gouge runs WNW from the rim to the right of the front point of the bust. Reverse: Die scratches run from NW to SE through the first two Memorial bays. I die scratch runs SE from the bottom of the S in PLURIBUS to the top of the Memorial roof. A die scratch runs from NW to SE north of the designer’s initials. Other die scratches can be found throughout the reverse.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Wexler Team

External References