1970-S Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-010

Description

Among the most mechanically unusual varieties in the 1970-S Lincoln Memorial cent series, WDDO-010 under the Small Date parent documents a tripled die obverse — a die that received three hub impressions with visible misalignment, producing triple images above the 7 in the date rather than the double images that characterize standard DDO varieties. The rarity of tripled dies in the broader Lincoln cent catalog makes this variety a significant reference specimen for collectors studying the full range of hubbing anomalies possible during die preparation. Die clash marks on this die add a secondary layer of diagnostic complexity: the incuse traces left by die-on-die contact without an intervening planchet create additional design elements on the die face that must be distinguished from the tripling evidence during attribution. Two obverse and two reverse die stages capture the die's production history, and the reverse carries a highly distinctive die marker — die gouges forming a "semi-colon" shape between the N and I in UNITED — that provides an immediately recognizable attribution anchor. No cross-references to other attribution systems have been recorded. The Small Date parent classification under ODV-026 places the tripling above the 7 within the compact date digit arrangement characteristic of the Small Date hub, where the tighter numeral spacing may cause the triple images to appear more closely overlapping than they would on the Large Date version. Collectors should approach potential WDDO-010 specimens with the understanding that tripling requires confirmation of three distinct impressions — not merely strong doubling that might be mistaken for a third image — and the semi-colon die gouge on the reverse provides the fastest confirmation pathway. Numerous die scratches run from SW to NE to the left of the bust. The die has been abraded creating new die scratch patterns to the left of the bust. Two parallel die scratches run from SW to NE to the right of the lower N of IN. Numerous other die scratches can be found throughout the obverse. Reverse Stage A: A short, strong die gouge runs north from the upper right D in UNITED. Short, strong die scratches run north from the top right of the Memorial roof.

Attribution History

• Discovered by John A. Wexler Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1970-S 1¢ WDDO-010
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References