1970 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-018

Description

Cataloged as 1970 1¢ WDDO-018, this doubled die obverse from the Philadelphia Mint represents one of the numerous hub doubling varieties identified on 1970-dated Lincoln Memorial cents. Doubled die obverses occur during the hubbing process, when a working die receives multiple impressions from the hub with slight misalignment between applications, permanently embedding doubled design elements into the die steel. Every coin subsequently struck from that die inherits the same doubling pattern, making DDOs a die variety rather than a striking error. No cross-references have been established beyond the Wexler attribution system, meaning documentation rests on Wexler's original research photographs and die marker analysis. Among collectors, 1970 Philadelphia Mint DDOs occupy a broad spectrum from dramatic spreads commanding significant premiums to subtle varieties primarily of interest to dedicated cherry-pickers. WDDO-018 falls within the later portion of the Wexler numbering sequence, indicating it was cataloged after the more prominent 1970 doubled dies had already been identified and documented. Collectors examining 1970 Philadelphia cents should use at least 10x magnification and focus on the areas most susceptible to visible hub doubling — IN GOD WE TRUST, LIBERTY, and the date digits — where even minor misalignment between hub impressions produces detectable separation or thickening of design elements.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Frank Baumann Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1970 1¢ WDDO-018
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References