2004-D Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-002

Description

Cataloged by the Wexler Team as 2004-D 1¢ WDDR-002 and cross-referenced as Coppercoins 2004D-1DR-003, this Lincoln Memorial Cent displays doubling on the Memorial floor between the first three columns and on the top of the left post, with extra thickness visible on the E PL of E PLURIBUS, the first U of UNUM, and the two left dots. The partial-inscription doubling — affecting only segments of the motto rather than the complete phrase — reveals the specific geometry of the hub displacement relative to each letter's position on the die face. Obverse die markers are not noted, while the reverse carries a rich set of diagnostic features: a die scratch running from the right cornice to the R in AMERICA, a die gouge below the IC in AMERICA, a die crack running from the lower C through the lower second A in AMERICA, and a heavy die crack on the upper second column of the Memorial. This concentration of reverse die deterioration — scratches, gouges, and multiple crack systems — suggests the reverse die was approaching the end of its service life when coins with these combined markers were struck. The Lincoln Memorial Cent was designed by Frank Gasparro for the reverse and Victor David Brenner for the obverse portrait of Abraham Lincoln. Struck at the Denver Mint in 2004 in copper-plated zinc composition (97.5% zinc, 2.5% copper), the coin weighs 2.50 grams with a diameter of 19.05 mm. The Memorial floor doubling is a particularly interesting diagnostic because the floor area between columns sits at the base of the design where even small hub shifts produce visible displacement against the fine horizontal lines of the Memorial's architectural detail.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Gene Nichols Cross References: Coppercoins: 2004D-1DR-003
• Coppercoins: 2004D-1DR-003; Wexler Variety ID: 2004-D 1¢ WDDR-002
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References