1989 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-001

Description

Exhibiting a spread towards center on the upper portion of the digit 8 and on Lincoln's eyelid, WDDO-001 targets two widely separated design elements — one in the date and one in the portrait — revealing a hub displacement direction that affected both the lower-right and upper-center regions of the obverse simultaneously. The towards-center spread indicates the secondary hub impression shifted inward relative to the primary, compressing the doubled design toward the coin's center rather than pushing it outward toward the rim. Die diagnostics include a die crack originating from the bottom of the digit 8, a die gouge positioned north of the R in LIBERTY, and die clash remnants visible in the fourth bay of the Lincoln Memorial on the reverse — the latter a transfer of obverse die design elements onto the reverse die surface during a clashless striking event. The presence of both die cracks and clash remnants suggests this die experienced mechanical stress from multiple sources during its service life: structural fatigue producing the cracks and operational errors producing the clashes. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint on copper-plated zinc planchets (97.5% zinc, 2.5% copper) at 2.5 grams and 19mm.

Die Markers

• Obverse: Short die cracks extend from the bottom of the eight. A strong die gouge (dot) can be found in the field well north of the R in LIBERTY and west of the upper ear. Reverse: Die clash remnants can be seen in the lower fourth Memorial bay. Numerous die scratches run mostly E/W above the upper right Memorial.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Wexler Team

External References