1970-S Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-038

Description

Exhibiting doubling above the 7 in the date, WDDO-038 on the 1970-S Large Date Lincoln Memorial cent is accompanied by an array of die scratches providing robust attribution markers across both surfaces. Die scratches run through the date area and extend from the RTY in LIBERTY on the obverse, creating linear surface features independent of the doubling that serve as die fingerprints. The doubling above the 7 — appearing as extra metal or a partial shadow of the numeral's upper portion — represents the hub misalignment defining this variety, but the die scratches through the date offer particular diagnostic value because they intersect with the very area where doubling is visible, meaning a collector examining the date will simultaneously encounter confirming scratch markers. On the reverse, a die scratch passes through the E and N of ONE, providing a pairing marker verifying the reverse die matches the documented die pair. The combination of date-area scratches with scratches emanating from LIBERTY creates a distinctive pattern spanning a wide arc of the obverse, reducing the chance of misattribution even on specimens where the doubling at the 7 is marginal. For collectors working through 1970-S Large Date cents, WDDO-038's multiple surface markers make it one of the more reliably identifiable varieties in the higher-numbered WDDO range.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Frank Baumann Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1970-S 1¢ WDDO-038
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References