2018 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-004

Description

Revealing moderate extra thickness on LIBERTY, this doubled die obverse on the 2018 Philadelphia Lincoln Shield Cent was attributed by the Wexler Team, with the most distinctive diagnostic being the asymmetric Y — the upper left branch of the Y in LIBERTY is noticeably thicker than the upper right branch. This asymmetry provides a reliable pickup point because the uneven thickness is visible under moderate magnification and cannot be explained by strike doubling or die deterioration, both of which would affect the letter uniformly. The reverse carries its own die markers of interest: a die crack on the top left of the Union Shield design and a die chip located north of the R in PLURIBUS. These progressive die markers can help collectors identify the specific die pair and estimate where a given coin falls within the die's working life. No significant obverse die markers beyond the doubling itself have been noted. The 2018 Lincoln Shield Cent was struck on copper-plated zinc planchets at Philadelphia, continuing the composition introduced in 1982 and the Shield reverse design adopted in 2010. Cross-referenced as Wexler Variety ID: 2018 1¢ WDDO-004, this variety rewards collectors who examine LIBERTY letter by letter under magnification.

Attribution History

• Discovered by John Horgan Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 2018 1¢ WDDO-004
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References