2016 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-001

Description

VarietyVista cataloged this as DDO-001 for the 2016 Lincoln Shield Cent, assigning die marker codes UVC-3393 and DMR-002, with medium extra thickness visible on LIBERTY — the primary diagnostic feature where the hub doubling manifests as noticeably thickened letter strokes rather than clearly separated secondary images. Extra thickness is a common presentation of close-spread doubling, where the displacement between primary and secondary hub impressions is narrow enough that the two images overlap substantially, producing the appearance of bolder, wider letters rather than the distinct doubled outlines seen with wider spreads. Die stage documentation tracks three states: Stage A identifies the die in Early Die State (EDS) by the presence of two die scratches running southwest through the lower G of GOD on the obverse, with the reverse also in EDS. Stages B (MDS) and C (LDS) remain unconfirmed, meaning examples from later in the die's production life have not yet been definitively documented. As DDO-001, this holds the premiere position in the 2016 Lincoln Shield Cent doubled die obverse census, suggesting it was either the first discovered or the most visually prominent example for the date. The 2016 Lincoln Shield Cent was struck in copper-plated zinc (2.5 grams, 19.05 mm diameter), continuing the Union Shield reverse design introduced in 2010 alongside Victor David Brenner's venerable Lincoln portrait obverse. The EDS die scratches through GOD provide a quick screening marker before examining the LIBERTY doubling.

Die Markers

• UVC-3393
• DMR-002
• Stage A:
• Two die scratches Southwest through lower G of GOD – EDS
• Reverse is EDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Leonard Matyjasik
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References