1970 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-027

Description

Standing out among the later-numbered 1970 Philadelphia Mint doubled die obverses, WDDO-027 exhibits Class I counterclockwise spread visible on IN GOD WE TRUST, LIBERTY, and the date — a rotational hub doubling pattern indicating the die or hub rotated slightly between hubbing impressions, producing doubled elements that fan counterclockwise from a pivot point. Class I (rotated) doubling is among the most dramatic of the hub doubling classes because it affects multiple design areas simultaneously with progressively increasing separation as distance from the rotation center increases. This die also carries two significant die markers: a die gouge southwest of the L in LIBERTY and parallel die scratches running through the D in UNITED on the reverse. The die gouge provides an immediate visual checkpoint — a small displaced area of metal that appears as a raised lump on the struck coin — while the parallel scratches through UNITED serve as a reverse-side fingerprint confirming the die pair. No cross-references have been identified beyond the Wexler catalog. The CCW rotational spread across three major design elements — motto, LIBERTY, and date — combined with distinctive die markers, makes WDDO-027 one of the more readily attributable varieties in the upper range of the 1970-P WDDO sequence. Collectors should note that Class I spreads typically show the strongest doubling at the periphery of the coin, where design elements are farthest from the rotation center.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Keith Christenson Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1970 1¢ WDDO-027
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References