1973-S Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-001

Description

Cataloged as 1973-S WDDO-001 in the Wexler listings, this doubled die obverse variety was struck at the San Francisco Mint on a regular strike planchet — not a proof issue. Doubled die obverse varieties occur when the working die receives a secondary impression from the hub during the hubbing process, with the second impression slightly offset from the first. The result is a die that carries doubled design elements, which are then faithfully reproduced on every coin struck from that die until it is retired from service. On the 1973-S WDDO-001, the doubling manifests across the obverse design elements, providing collectors with visible evidence of the misaligned hubbing event. Diagnostic die markers aid in confirming attribution to this specific die: on the obverse, a die crack runs from the southwest to northeast through the upper portion of Lincoln's hair and then turns northward, extending to the W in WE of the motto "IN GOD WE TRUST." On the reverse, a curving die scratch passes through the upper portion of the O and continues into the N in ONE. These markers are particularly useful because they confirm that a specimen was struck from this exact die pairing rather than another doubled die that might show a superficially similar degree of doubling. The San Francisco Mint's 1973 cent production included both regular strikes for circulation and proof specimens for collector sets, and WDDO-001 belongs to the former category — making it a variety that entered general circulation and can be found through careful roll searching or cherry-picking at coin shows. Collectors should examine the obverse under magnification, looking for the characteristic doubled elements in conjunction with the die crack through the upper hair as a confirming marker.

Die Markers

• Obverse: A die crack that runs from SW to NE through the upper hair and then turns north extending to the W in WE. Reverse: A curving die scratch runs through the upper O to the N in ONE.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Wexler Team

External References