1970-S Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-026

Description

Among the most heavily marked dies in the 1970-S Small Date Lincoln Memorial cent WDDO catalog, WDDO-026 combines hub doubling above the 7 in the date with a striking array of die surface anomalies. Strong die gouges extending from the rim above the L in LIBERTY create prominent raised features on struck coins — these gouges, caused by damage to the die face from foreign objects or mishandling, radiate downward from the rim and provide an immediately recognizable diagnostic visible even at moderate magnification. Heavy abrasion across the die surface indicates that Mint personnel attempted to recondition the die, likely to extend its useful life despite the accumulated damage. This abrasion alters the die's surface texture and may partially obscure some diagnostic features while creating new ones — abraded areas on the die produce corresponding smooth or polished zones on struck coins that contrast with the surrounding unabraded texture. The two-stage obverse and two-stage reverse track the die's evolution through these surface changes. No cross-references to other attribution systems have been published. The doubling above the 7 positions the hub displacement in the vertical axis, with the secondary image appearing above the digit's horizontal stroke. While the doubling defines WDDO-026 as a variety, the dramatic die gouges from the rim above LIBERTY are likely to be the first feature a collector notices, making this one of the more visually distinctive varieties in the later WDDO sequence. The combination of gouges, heavy abrasion, and hub doubling tells the story of a die that experienced significant wear and damage during its working life yet continued to strike coins bearing collectible variety evidence. A SW/NE die scratch can be found to the right of the zero in the date. Reverse Stage A: Die scratches curve from NW to SE to the left of the P in PLURIBUS and the 1st U in UNUM. A horizontal die scratch can be found under the PLU in PLURIBUS. Numerous die scratches, mostly horizontal, run through the letters of ONE CENT. Only traces of the Stage A die scratches remain. Numerous die scratches, mostly SSW to NNE, run through the letters of ONE CENT and the rest of the reverse.

Attribution History

• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1970-S 1¢ WDDO-026
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References