1970-S Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-002

Description

Documented with exceptional detail across multiple die stages, the 1970-S WDDO-002 under the Small Date parent provides one of the more thoroughly recorded die variety histories in the 1970-S Lincoln cent series. This Class I clockwise spread doubled die obverse shows close doubling on IN GOD WE TRUST, the zero of the date, and the L in LIBERTY. Stage A and Stage B die markers have been cataloged for both obverse and reverse surfaces, capturing the die's progression from early impressions through mid-life wear patterns that alter the diagnostic landscape available to attributing collectors. The variety was illustrated on page 153 of John Wexler's 1984 book The Lincoln Cent Doubled Die, where it was listed as 1970-S 1¢ 2-O-I-CW — a historical reference that anchors this variety in the foundational literature of Lincoln cent doubled die research. That 1984 publication predates the modern WDDO numbering system, and the transition from the older alphanumeric designations to the current catalog reflects the evolution of attribution methodology over four decades. The Small Date classification places this variety under the ODV-026 date logotype hub, with its characteristically compact date digit arrangement. Because the close Class I spread on this variety is subtle, the multi-stage die marker documentation becomes especially valuable: collectors can confirm the die pairing through obverse and reverse markers even when the doubling itself is at the threshold of confident visual detection. The comprehensive stage records distinguish this Small Date listing from its Large Date counterpart and provide a research-grade attribution resource. Die Markers: Obverse Stage A: Two parallel die scratches run NNW from the horizontal bar of the L in LIBERTY. A die scratch runs south from the bottom of the I in LIBERTY. A long die scratch twists NNW from the top of the E in LIBERTY. A die gouge runs ESE from the rim to the left of the W in WE. Parallel die scratches run from NW to SE through and below the U in TRUST. Obverse Stage B: Only the die scratches from the horizontal bar of the L in LIBERTY remain. A small die gouge can be found above the left side of the D in GOD. A die gouge can be found to the right of the S in TRUST. Reverse Stage A: A die scratch runs from WSW to ENE about 1/3 of the way up from the bottom of the first bay. Numerous other die scratches can be found throughout the reverse. A small die gouge (dot) can be found in the upper steps below the 4th bay. Reverse Stage B: Only the die scratch in the 1st bay remains. A small die gouge can be found below the A in STATES while another can be found below the E in EPU.

Attribution History

• None known Comments: This variety was illustrated on page 153 of my 1984 book The Lincoln Cent Doubled Die where it was listed as 1970-S 1¢ 2-O-I-CW.; Wexler Variety ID: 1970-S 1¢ WDDO-002
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References