1968-S Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-006

Description

Among the most significant doubled die varieties in the entire 1968 Lincoln cent catalog, WDDO-006 on the 1968-S proof cent carries the coveted Cherrypickers' Guide designation FS-01-1968S-101 (027.5), establishing it as a major recognized variety with broad collector demand and strong market presence. The Cherrypickers' Guide, authored by Bill Fivaz and J.T. Stanton, is the standard reference for significant U.S. coin varieties, and inclusion in its pages represents a threshold of collectibility and recognition that elevates a variety from specialist interest to mainstream numismatic awareness. The FS (Fivaz-Stanton) number ensures that major grading services recognize this variety for attribution on certified holders, substantially increasing its visibility and liquidity in the marketplace. WDDO-006 exhibits a strong Class II spread towards the center, visible on the letters of IN GOD WE TRUST (IGWT), LIBERTY, and the date. Class II hub doubling involves a rotational displacement between successive hub impressions during die manufacture, and the spread "towards the center" indicates that the pivot point lies outside the design field, causing elements across a broad swath of the obverse to shift inward toward the coin's center. The breadth of the affected area — spanning three separate inscription zones (the motto, LIBERTY, and the date) — confirms a substantial angular displacement that produced detectable doubling across much of the obverse. This wide distribution makes WDDO-006 one of the more visually impressive doubled die obverse varieties for the 1968 date, with collectors able to confirm the doubling at multiple independent locations on the coin. The historical context amplifies the variety's significance: 1968 was the year proof production returned to the San Francisco Mint after the three-year Coinage Act of 1965 hiatus, and the 1968-S proof set was the first standard proof set issued since 1964. Proof dies underwent special preparation including polishing and chrome plating, and the controlled striking conditions that produce proof quality also tend to preserve die varieties with exceptional fidelity, making doubled die proofs among the sharpest and most photogenic specimens available for study. Obverse die markers include a die chip between the rim and the first T of TRUST. Reverse die markers include a short vertical die gouge to the right of the center of the E in AMERICA and a short diagonal die gouge in the lower eighth bay of the Lincoln Memorial. These die markers provide essential secondary confirmation for attribution, particularly important for a Cherrypickers-listed variety where misidentification could have significant financial consequences. Cross-referenced as CONECA 5-O-II, Cherrypickers FS-01-1968S-101 (027.5), and Coppercoins 1968S-1DO-007P. Cataloged under Wexler Variety ID: 1968-S 1¢ Pr WDDO-006. Attributed by the Wexler Team. Struck on a 3.11-gram, 19mm proof planchet of 95% copper and 5% zinc at the San Francisco Mint.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Bill Fivaz Cross References: CONECA: 5-O-II, Cherrypickers: FS-01-1968S-101 (027.5), Coppercoins: 1968S-1DO-007P
• CONECA: 5-O-II, Cherrypickers: FS-01-1968S-101 (027.5), Coppercoins: 1968S-1DO-007P; Wexler Variety ID: 1968-S 1¢ Pr WDDO-006
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References