1968 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-002

Description

Attributed by the Wexler Team as the second doubled die obverse for the 1968 Lincoln cent, WDDO-002 displays a counterclockwise (CW) spread from a pivot at approximately 2:00, affecting the letters of LIBERTY, IN GOD, and the date, with slight doubling also visible on the date numerals. The pivot at 2:00 places the center of rotation in the upper-right area of the obverse field, and the counterclockwise spread direction means that design elements to the left of and below the pivot — including LIBERTY along the left field, IN GOD along the upper rim, and the 1968 date along the lower left — exhibit progressively greater displacement the farther they sit from the pivot. The involvement of the date in the doubling pattern is a collecting advantage because doubled dates are among the first features collectors learn to look for, making WDDO-002 more likely to be identified in the field than varieties where the doubling is confined to less scrutinized areas. Obverse die markers include a die scratch running north-northeast from the R in LIBERTY, while the reverse shows a die gouge to the right of the I in UNITED. Cross-referenced as Coppercoins 1968P-1DO-009 and cataloged under Wexler Variety ID: 1968 1¢ WDDO-002. Attributed by the Wexler Team. Struck on a 3.11-gram, 19mm planchet of 95% copper and 5% zinc at the Philadelphia Mint.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Delma K. Romines Cross References: Coppercoins: 1968P-1DO-009
• Coppercoins: 1968P-1DO-009; Wexler Variety ID: 1968 1¢ WDDO-002
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References