1999 Doubled Die Reverse DDR-009

Description

Ninth in the reverse doubled die census for the 1999 Lincoln Memorial cent, DDR-009 exhibits medium westward spread manifesting as an extra column number 7 visible from the shin to the pedestal of the seated Lincoln figure within Frank Gasparro's memorial facade. VarietyVista documented this variety under UVC-2974 and DMR-011, tracking three die stages: Stage A at early die state (unconfirmed), Stage B where a light die crack develops from the right eave tip to the rim with numerous die scratches appearing on the obverse at mid die state, and Stage C at late die state (unconfirmed). The Stage B diagnostics — the eave-to-rim die crack and obverse die scratches — provide valuable secondary attribution tools for confirming specimens in an intermediate die state. Additional commentary identifies RDV-007, the reverse design variant that connects this DDR to the phantom column family characteristic of the 1999 Lincoln Memorial cent DDR landscape. The phantom seventh column between the existing memorial columns has become one of the most recognizable doubled die signatures in the modern Lincoln cent series, appearing across multiple DDR entries for the 1999 date with varying degrees of visibility from shin-to-pedestal through knee-to-foot and elbow-to-knee ranges. Philadelphia produced approximately 5.24 billion cents in 1999, a massive output that consumed hundreds of reverse dies and provided ample opportunity for hub doubling events. The shin-to-pedestal range describes the lowest visible portion of the phantom column, spanning from the seated figure's lower leg down to the memorial floor. Medium spread classification indicates the doubling is clearly visible under moderate magnification but does not produce the dramatic separation seen on strong spread varieties. Collectors should examine the area between the sixth and seventh columns at the base of the memorial interior under 10-15x magnification, then check for the light die crack from the right eave tip to the rim as confirmation of the correct die state.

Die Markers

• UVC-2974
• DMR-011
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Light die crack from Right eave tip to rim – MDS
• Numerous die scratches on Obverse – MDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by James Wiles
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References