1968-S Proof Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-007

Description

Designated WDDO-007, this doubled die obverse variety appears on the 1968-S proof Lincoln Memorial cent — the first standard proof issue from San Francisco since the 1964 date, following the three-year Coinage Act of 1965 hiatus that replaced proof sets with Special Mint Sets. The doubling on this die has not been assigned a specific class or spread direction in the available documentation, placing it among the more subtle doubled die varieties for this date that require careful examination under magnification to confirm. Obverse die markers include a short die scratch running from SSE to NNW on the bottom front of the bust, providing a reliable attribution point independent of the doubling itself. On the reverse, a die gouge can be found inside the lower E in ONE, and an additional die gouge appears at the rim below the right side of the E in ONE. These reverse die markers are particularly useful for confirming die identity when the obverse doubling is too subtle to photograph clearly. Proof striking conditions — polished dies and planchets, multiple strikes at reduced speed — preserve even minor hub doubling with exceptional fidelity, meaning that varieties too faint to detect on business strikes may become visible on proofs. The 1968-S proof cent was struck on a 3.11-gram, 19mm planchet of 95% copper and 5% zinc at the San Francisco Mint.

Die Markers

• Obverse: A short die scratch runs from SSE to NNW on the bottom front of the bust. Reverse: A die gouge can be found inside the lower E in ONE. A die gouge can be found at the rim below the right side of the E in ONE.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Wexler Team

External References