1921-S Doubled Die Reverse DDR-001

Description

Extra thickness on E PLURIBUS UNUM, the separator dots, and both wheat stems identifies the first doubled die reverse cataloged for the 1921-S Lincoln Wheat Cent. VarietyVista documented this variety with die markers UVC-2569 and DMR-002, recording three die stages: Stage A at early die state (unconfirmed), Stage B with the reverse at mid-die state and the obverse at late-to-mid die state, and Stage C at late die state (unconfirmed). The 1921-S was struck at the San Francisco Mint during the post-World War I era, when America was adjusting to peacetime economics and the Mint was resuming normal production after wartime demands. San Francisco's cent production supplemented Philadelphia's output for West Coast commerce, and the S mintmark adds collectibility to any die variety from this period. Extra thickness doubling — often associated with Class VI hub distortion — occurs when the hub impressions enter the die at slightly different depths, causing design elements to appear wider and bolder without distinct lateral separation. Victor David Brenner's wheat ears reverse provided the delicate stems, grain detail, and lettering where this type of thickness variation becomes most evident under magnification. As the sole DDR for 1921-S, this variety represents the primary reverse hub anomaly documented for that San Francisco date.

Die Markers

• UVC-2569
• DMR-002
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Reverse is MDS
• Obverse is LMDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Gil Medina
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References