1971 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-001

Description

One of the most widely recognized doubled die varieties in modern American numismatics, WDDO-001 on the 1971 Lincoln Memorial cent documents a very strong Class II spread towards the rim on the letters of LIBERTY and IN GOD WE TRUST, with a spread towards the north visible on the date. Class II hub doubling produces distortion rather than rotation — the secondary hub impression displaced design elements radially outward toward the rim, generating dramatic extra thickness and shelving on affected inscriptions that can be detected without magnification on well-struck examples. The variety's prominence is reflected in its extensive cross-referencing: CONECA 1-O-II, Cherrypickers Guide FS-01-1971-101 (formerly FS-031), Breen #2260, Crawford CDDO-007, and Coppercoins 1971P-1DO-001 — a breadth of independent attribution that places it among the most thoroughly cataloged doubled dies in the Lincoln cent series. Die markers are documented across multiple die stages. On the obverse at Stage A, several short die scratches run from north to south below the ER of LIBERTY. Stage B introduces numerous die scratches running north to south in front of the head and from NNW to SSE behind the head, indicating progressive surface deterioration as the die accumulated striking cycles. The reverse tells a parallel story of die evolution: Stage A shows two short parallel die scratches running WSW to ENE on the roof above the fourth column and a die scratch from WNW to ESE between the lower A and T in STATES, while Stage B adds a horizontal die scratch below LURIB of PLURIBUS, two parallel scratches below the last S of STATES and the O of OF, two scratches from NW to SE through the upper T in CENT, and numerous additional scratches throughout the Memorial design. This progression from relatively clean surfaces in Stage A to extensively scratched surfaces in Stage B documents the die pair's working life from early service through advanced deterioration, providing collectors with die state indicators that help date a specimen's position within the production sequence. Numerous die scratches run from east to west through the Memorial.

Attribution History

• Discovered by John A. Wexler Cross References: CONECA: 1-O-II, Cherrypickers: FS-01-1971-101 (031), Breen: #2260, Crawford: CDDO-007, Coppercoins: 1971P-1DO-001
• CONECA: 1-O-II, Cherrypickers: FS-01-1971-101 (031), Breen: #2260, Crawford: CDDO-007, Coppercoins: 1971P-1DO-001; Wexler Variety ID: 1971 1¢ WDDO-001
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References