2012 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-003

Description

Cataloged by the Wexler Team and cross-referenced as Coppercoins 2012P-1DO-004 with Wexler Variety ID 2012 1c WDDO-003, this doubled die obverse on the 2012 Lincoln Shield Cent displays extra thickness on the date. The obverse die markers include a small die chip on the lower right 1 in the date, while the reverse shows a small die gouge south of the first A in AMERICA, a die crack running ENE from the upper L in PLURIBUS, and a die gouge running from SW to NE through the UN in UNUM. The Lincoln Shield Cent series, introduced in 2010 following the 2009 Lincoln Bicentennial four-reverse designs, features Lyndall Bass' Union Shield reverse with ONE CENT inscribed across a banner — a design departure from the five decades of Frank Gasparro's Lincoln Memorial. The concentration of doubling exclusively on the date digits indicates a highly localized hub displacement that produced visible extra thickness only on the numerals of 2012 while remaining below detection on other obverse elements. The die chip on the lower right 1 in the date sits in the same region as the doubling, providing both a die marker and an amplifier of the variety's visual impact — the chip and the extra thickness together make the date area the focal diagnostic zone. The 2012-P Lincoln Shield Cent was struck at the Philadelphia Mint in copper-plated zinc at 2.50 grams with a 19.0 mm diameter. The dual cross-referencing in Coppercoins and Wexler systems confirms established documentation status. The reverse die crack from L in PLURIBUS and the UN gouge in UNUM provide independent authentication markers, while examination of the date under 7x to 10x magnification reveals the extra thickness on each digit.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Joseph Koelling Cross References: Coppercoins: 2012P-1DO-004
• Coppercoins: 2012P-1DO-004; Wexler Variety ID: 2012 1¢ WDDO-003
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References