2015 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-003

Description

Cataloged by VarietyVista with die identifiers UVC-3391 and DMR-005, the 2015 DDO-003 Lincoln Shield Cent presents medium spread south on the date, LIBERTY, and IN GOD WE TRUST — a substantial doubled die obverse where the secondary hub impression was displaced downward relative to the primary, creating visible secondary images below each affected design element. The southward spread direction means doubled images appear beneath the primary lettering and date digits, a pattern that is often more visible to the naked eye than lateral spreads because it creates apparent "shadows" under the inscriptions. Three die stages are documented: Stage A at early die state (EDS, unconfirmed); Stage B at early-to-mid die state (EMDS) showing a light die crack on Lincoln's forehead above the eye and a light die crack on the upper left shield edge on the reverse; Stage C at late die state (LDS, unconfirmed). The concurrent development of cracks on both the obverse portrait and reverse shield design at Stage B indicates that both dies were experiencing structural stress during the same production interval. The Lincoln Shield Cent was designed by Victor David Brenner for the obverse and Lyndall Bass for the reverse, featuring a Union shield with horizontal bands and thirteen vertical stripes. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 2015 in copper-plated zinc (97.5% zinc, 2.5% copper) weighing 2.50 grams with a 19.05 mm diameter, the coin continues the Shield reverse design introduced in 2010. The DDO-003 designation indicates this is the third most significant doubled die obverse cataloged for the 2015 date, and the medium spread affecting three distinct inscription groups — date, LIBERTY, and full motto — provides multiple attribution points that collectively confirm the hub displacement diagnosis.

Die Markers

• UVC-3391
• DMR-005
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Light die crack on forehead above eye – EMDS
• Light die crack on upper Left shield edge – EMDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Leonard Matyjasik
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References