1997 (D) Lincoln Memorial Cent - Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-017

Description

Approaching two dozen documented doubled die reverses for a single date and mint, WDDR-017 for the 1997 Denver Mint Lincoln Memorial Cent demonstrates why the Memorial reverse became one of the most studied designs in American numismatic history. Frank Gasparro's architectural rendering — with its precise columnar spacing, stepped platform, and bilateral symmetry — functions almost like a built-in measurement grid where any die displacement becomes quantifiable against the design's own geometric regularity. This inherent precision is why Memorial Cents consistently yield more documented die varieties per date than many other denominations. The seventeenth DDR for 1997-D originated from a die whose reverse hubbing introduced alignment variance during the manufacturing process at Denver. Once identified and submitted to the Wexler Team, the variety received Wexler Variety ID 1997-D 1c WDDR-017 and joined the growing inventory that variety specialists reference when attributing specimens. The Lincoln Memorial Cents 1959-2008 series encompasses nearly fifty years of production, and late-series dates like 1997 benefit from active modern collector engagement.

Cross References

• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1997-D 1¢ WDDR-017

External References