2021 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-011

Description

Eleventh in the Wexler doubled die obverse census for the 2021 Lincoln Shield cent, WDDO-011 exhibits strong extra thickness on LIBERTY with the Y notably thicker at its upper right — a diagnostic that provides a readily identifiable visual marker on the modern cent design. The Lincoln Shield cent, introduced in 2010 following the 2009 bicentennial reverse designs, features a union shield on the reverse symbolizing Lincoln's preservation of the United States as a single nation. Obverse die markers for this variety include a die scratch running from the west-southwest to east-northeast direction below the L in LIBERTY, and a die crack at the top left of the shield on the reverse, providing secondary diagnostics that fingerprint this specific working die independent of the doubling itself. The strong extra thickness classification indicates the hub doubling manifests as measurably broader letter strokes rather than the clearly separated split images associated with the most dramatic doubled dies — on LIBERTY, the letters appear bolder and heavier than normal, with the Y showing pronounced thickening specifically at its upper right junction. Wexler cataloged this variety under Wexler Variety ID: 2021 1c WDDO-011, placing it within a growing census of doubled die obverses for the Shield cent series. The 2021 Lincoln cent was struck at Philadelphia (no mintmark), and collectors should first verify the die scratch below L of LIBERTY and the reverse die crack at the top left shield to confirm the correct die, then examine the letters of LIBERTY under 10-15x magnification where the strong extra thickness is most apparent on the Y character. The die crack on the reverse provides an additional authentication point that can be checked without flipping the coin back to the obverse.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Wilbert Anderson Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 2021 1¢ WDDO-011
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References