1993 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-001

Description

Cataloged by the Wexler Team as 1993 1¢ WDDO-001, this doubled die obverse on the 1993 Philadelphia Lincoln Memorial cent exhibits what is described as an extremely close spread directed toward the center — one of the subtlest forms of hub doubling, requiring careful examination under magnification to detect. The doubling manifests on selected letters of IN GOD WE TRUST and the uppermost hair details of Lincoln's portrait, where a slight secondary image can be discerned alongside the primary design elements. Several die markers aid in confirming attribution: a small die gouge sits below the D in GOD, a die crack runs east-to-west through the center of the front hair curl, a second die crack traces across the top of the hair between the D in GOD and the W in WE, and a short vertical die scratch appears below the B in LIBERTY. These die-specific features serve as fingerprints that distinguish the WDDO-001 die from all other 1993 Philadelphia obverse dies — a critical function when the doubling itself is so subtle that less experienced collectors might question whether they are seeing genuine hub doubling or machine doubling. The die cracks in Lincoln's hair are particularly useful diagnostics because they developed after the doubled hubbing occurred and are therefore unique to this specific die's service life. No reverse die markers have been noted, indicating the reverse die paired with this obverse was relatively unremarkable.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Peter Beane Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1993 1¢ WDDO-001
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References