1970-S Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-024

Description

The Small Date variant of WDDO-024 on the 1970-S Lincoln Memorial cent extends this doubled die obverse's documentation into the less common of the two date classifications produced at San Francisco in 1970. The Small Date is identified by its uniform numeral height — all four digits align across their tops without the oversized 7 that defines the Large Date — and by the more rounded loop of the 9. While the hub doubling characteristics are identical to those on the Large Date entry (since the doubling originates from the same misaligned hubbing event during die manufacture), the Small Date context carries different collecting implications. The 1970-S Small Date is associated in collectors' minds with premium varieties, particularly the famous doubled die that ranks among the most valuable modern Lincoln cents, and this halo effect sustains interest in the full range of Small Date varieties even when the doubling is subtle. WDDO-024 in the Small Date classification lacks published cross-references to other attribution systems, making Wexler's documentation the authoritative source for die markers and attribution criteria. The relative scarcity of the Small Date compared to the Large Date 1970-S cent means that fewer total coins exist within this parent type, and correspondingly fewer specimens of any given variety are available for discovery. Collectors building a complete WDDO set for both 1970-S date variants will find that Small Date examples of the higher-numbered WDDOs can be particularly elusive, as the combination of lower population and subtle doubling makes them easy to overlook.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Frank C. Bruske Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1970-S 1¢ WDDO-024
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References