1971-S Proof Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-005

Description

Most subtle among the 1971-S proof doubled die obverse family, this WDDO-005 entry documents a very close Class II spread towards the rim visible exclusively on the date — making it the narrowest in scope and the most demanding to detect of the five proof WDDOs cataloged for the 1971-S Lincoln Memorial cent. The Class II rim-ward displacement pushes the secondary impression outward, but at such close spacing that only the date numerals — with their fine serif geometry and precise stroke widths — register detectable separation between primary and secondary hub impressions. No significant die markers appear on either the obverse or reverse, stripping away the secondary identification aids that simplify attribution of more marker-rich varieties and leaving the very close spread on the date as the sole diagnostic feature. The challenge of detecting very close Class II doubling on proof coinage carries a paradoxical quality: proof surfaces provide the highest-fidelity preservation of die features, yet the spread itself is subtle enough that even proof-quality clarity may not make it immediately obvious without deliberate high-magnification examination of the date digits. Collectors working through the 1971-S proof doubled die sequence will encounter a natural hierarchy of difficulty, with WDDO-001's extremely strong spread detectable at a glance, WDDO-002 and WDDO-004 visible under moderate magnification, and WDDO-005 requiring the most patient scrutiny — a progression that mirrors the diminishing hub displacement magnitudes across the catalog's five entries. This variety rewards the collector who methodically examines every date digit on 1971-S proof cents rather than dismissing specimens that lack immediately visible doubling on the inscriptions.

Die Markers

• Obverse: None significant. Reverse: None significant.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Wexler Team

External References