1988-D Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-003

Description

Bearing the Wexler attribution 1988-D 1¢ WDDO-003, this doubled die obverse presents extra thickness on the date, eyelid, LIBERTY, and IN GOD WE TRUST — a broad distribution of doubling that affects design elements across a wider arc of the die face than the more localized WDDO-002. Notches on the lower 1 and 9 of the date serve as quick diagnostic indicators, offering a starting point for attribution before the examiner moves to more nuanced features. The obverse die carries a die gouge southeast of the T in LIBERTY and a vertical gouge on the front fold of the vest southwest of the mint mark — the vest fold gouge is an especially useful marker because it occupies a relatively featureless area of the design where any surface irregularity stands out clearly. The reverse die provides an unusually rich set of complementary markers: a die crack extending east from the E in AMERICA, die scratches through E PL in E PLURIBUS UNUM, and a die scratch through the N in CENT. This abundance of reverse diagnostics makes WDDO-003 one of the more confidently attributable doubled dies in the 1988-D series, since the reverse markers alone can narrow identification even before the obverse doubling is examined. No cross-references to other attribution systems are currently known. Struck at the Denver Mint on copper-plated zinc planchets (97.5% zinc, 2.5% copper) at 2.5 grams and 19mm.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Peter Beane Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1988-D 1¢ WDDO-003
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References