1990 Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-004

Description

Within the extensive family of 1990 Philadelphia Lincoln Memorial cent doubled die reverses, WDDR-004 occupies the fourth position in the Wexler catalog sequence — a numbering that reflects order of discovery and documentation rather than any ranking of prominence or rarity. The hubbing process that created this doubled die involves pressing a hardened steel hub bearing the Memorial reverse design into an annealed working die blank under tremendous hydraulic pressure. Multiple impressions are typically required to fully transfer the design's depth and detail, and between impressions the die is removed from the press, annealed to relieve work-hardening, and then repositioned for the next squeeze. It is during this repositioning that misalignment can occur: the die may rotate slightly, shift laterally, or tilt relative to the hub, and the next impression embosses a secondary image offset from the first. The architectural precision of the Memorial design — with its strictly parallel columns and horizontal entablature — makes even fractional misalignment visible under magnification. For collectors pursuing a comprehensive set of 1990-P reverse doubled dies, WDDR-004 represents one of twelve Wexler entries requiring acquisition and verification through die marker matching. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint on a copper-plated zinc planchet (97.5% zinc, 2.5% copper) at 2.5 grams and 19mm diameter.

Attribution History

• Wexler Variety ID: 1990 1¢ WDDR-004
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References