2006 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-005

Description

Documented by VarietyVista with die identifiers UVC-2591 and DMR-007, DDO-005 on the 2006 Lincoln Memorial cent shows medium extra thickness on the date numerals, Lincoln's beard, and the back of his head, accompanied by lighter extra thickness on LIBERTY and IN GOD WE TRUST. Extra thickness — sometimes called "thickening" in variety nomenclature — results from a hub doubling class where the secondary impression slightly overlaps the first, adding apparent width or mass to design elements rather than producing the separated secondary image seen in Class I spread doubling. Three die stages have been documented: Stage A with both obverse and reverse in early die state, Stage B at mid-die state (unconfirmed), and Stage C at late die state (unconfirmed). The early die state specimens would present the doubling most crisply, before accumulated striking wear begins to broaden design elements naturally through metal flow. Victor David Brenner's Lincoln portrait — then in its ninety-seventh year on the cent — provides familiar reference points for detecting the thickening: the beard whiskers, the hair detail at the back of the skull, and the individual numerals of the date all become measurably wider when compared to normal strikes from undoubled dies. The 2006 cent was among the final years of Memorial reverse production before the 2009 bicentennial designs and the 2010 Shield reverse, and variety researchers examined these late-era issues with particular thoroughness to complete the Memorial cent's DDO/DDR catalog.

Die Markers

• UVC-2591
• DMR-007
• Stage A:
• Obverse and Reverse EDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Ed Games
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References