1971 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-003

Description

Exhibiting a very nice Class I counterclockwise spread on the letters of LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, and the date, WDDO-003 on the 1971 Lincoln Memorial cent documents a hub misalignment that rotated the secondary impression counterclockwise — producing leftward displacement on upper elements and rightward displacement on lower elements, the directional mirror of the CW spread found on WDDO-002. Cross-referenced as CONECA 3-O-I, Crawford CDDO-006, and Coppercoins 1971P-1DO-004, this variety benefits from triple external confirmation across independent attribution systems. The die marker documentation reveals distinctive features that make WDDO-003 one of the more readily identifiable varieties in the 1971 WDDO sequence. A strong die gouge protrudes from the rim below the second 1 in the date — a prominent feature positioned in one of the most frequently examined areas of the coin, where collectors routinely check for doubled date digits. A die gouge below the lower right R in TRUST adds another obverse marker. Most notably, a die crack runs from the back of the ear through the hair and into the field below the E in WE, creating a linear feature that traverses a substantial portion of the portrait area. This die crack should not be confused with a spiked head variety — it runs through a different area of the portrait and is documented as a die marker associated with a specific doubled die variety rather than an independent spiked head catalog entry. On the reverse, a small die gouge below the right end of the Memorial provides confirmation. The variety is cross-referenced as CONECA 3-O-I, Crawford CDDO-006, and Coppercoins 1971P-1DO-004, with the Wexler Variety ID 1971 1 cent WDDO-003 anchoring the attribution within the Wexler framework.

Attribution History

• Discovered by John A. Wexler Cross References: CONECA: 3-O-I, Crawford: CDDO-006, Coppercoins: 1971P-1DO-004
• CONECA: 3-O-I, Crawford: CDDO-006, Coppercoins: 1971P-1DO-004; Wexler Variety ID: 1971 1¢ WDDO-003
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References