1970-S Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-053

Description

Carrying an unusual distinction in the Wexler catalog, WDDO-053 on the 1970-S Large Date Lincoln Memorial cent is a replacement listing — the original variety assigned this number was determined to be a duplicate of WDDO-018, and the catalog slot was reassigned to an entirely different doubled die variety. Attribution number reassignments are rare in die variety cataloging because they create potential confusion in published references, auction descriptions, and collector records that may cite the original variety under the same number. This replacement WDDO-053, submitted by Keith Christenson, displays doubling above the 7 and below the L in LIBERTY, placing the hub misalignment evidence in two widely separated zones of the obverse. The die markers on this variety are remarkably extensive. On the obverse, east-west scratches run through the upper 7, north-south scratches pass through IN GOD, die dents appear at the rim above TRUST, a northeast-southwest scratch sits below the bust, and northwest-southeast scratches cross through the vest area. The reverse is equally well-mapped: east-west scratches throughout, strong scratches left of the Memorial statue's head, a west-northwest to east-southeast scratch in the lower fifth bay, north-south scratches through ME in AMERICA, gouges between I and T of UNITED and at the rim above E in AMERICA, and another gouge between R and I in PLURIBUS. This extraordinary density — easily a dozen distinct surface features across both sides — makes the replacement WDDO-053 one of the most precisely identifiable varieties in the entire 1970-S WDDO sequence, partly mitigating the confusion inherent in catalog number reassignment by giving collectors abundant independent confirmation points. Die Markers: Obverse: Thin E/W die scratches run through the upper 7 in the date. Thin N/S die scratches run throughout the left side of the obverse, with the strongest through IN GOD. A strong ENE/WSW die scratch is present below the bust. NW/SE die scratches are present through the vest. Reverse: Thin E/W die scratches are present throughout the reverse. Strong, but very short, die scratches are present left of the statue's head. A strong WNW/ESE die scratch is present in the lower fifth bay. N/S die scratches run through the ME in AMERICA. A die gouge is present between the upper I and T in UNITED. A die gouge is present at the rim above the right side of the E in AMERICA. A small die gouge is present between the upper R and I in PLURIBUS. Obverse: Strong nearly vertical die scratches can be found just to the left of the lower shoulder.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Tanner Scott Cross References: None known 1970-S 1¢ WDDO-054
• None known 1970-S 1¢ WDDO-054; Wexler Variety ID: 1970-S 1¢ WDDO-053
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References