1970-S Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-019

Description

Appearing within the Small Date classification of the 1970-S Lincoln Memorial cent, WDDO-019 documents the same hub doubling characteristics found on its Large Date counterpart — doubling below the L in LIBERTY and above the 7 in the date — but within a parent type distinguished by the uniform height of the date numerals and the more rounded loop of the 9. The three-stage die progression across both obverse and reverse surfaces charts an extended production run during which the die's surface characteristics evolved progressively. Die clash marks on the reverse confirm at least one incident where the obverse and reverse dies made contact without a planchet between them, transferring design impressions from one surface to the other. A different reverse die was paired with this obverse during production, documenting a die swap event that is independently useful for attribution — the specific combination of clash marks and reverse die characteristics can help distinguish this variety from other 1970-S doubled dies with similar doubling locations. The Small Date 1970-S cent, while less common than its Large Date counterpart in overall production, remains accessible enough that cherry-picking for varieties like WDDO-019 is a practical pursuit. Collectors should focus their magnified examination on two primary zones: the area immediately below the base of the L in LIBERTY, where extra metal from the secondary hub impression creates a visible shelf, and the space above the horizontal stroke of the 7, where a thin secondary line reveals the hub displacement. The absence of published cross-references means Wexler's attribution photographs serve as the primary reference for die marker comparison. Die Markers: Obverse Stage A: A long die scratch runs SSW/NNE well north of the B in LIBERTY. This die scratch is visible on all known stages of this variety. Reverse Stage A: A die gouge touches the upper right of the N in UNITED. A small die gouge can be found to the left of the left Memorial base.

Attribution History

• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1970-S 1¢ WDDO-019
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References