1935 Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-004

Description

Attributed by the Wexler team and cross-referenced as CONECA 2-R-VI, this 1935 Lincoln Wheat Cent exhibits a Class VI doubled die reverse — the Class VI designation indicating a distorted design element, where doubling manifests as design distortion rather than the clean secondary image typical of rotated or pivoted hub doubling classes. The reverse shows extra thickness on E PLURIBUS UNUM, both dots flanking the motto, both wheat ears, and the wheat stems — a broad distribution confirming the distortion influenced a wide area of the die face. Two die markers aid attribution: the obverse carries a small die gouge appearing as a dot in the field east of the lower forehead, while the reverse exhibits a NNE/SSW die crack through the lower right wheat kernels. These markers are independent of the doubling and serve as fingerprints for the specific die pair, allowing confirmation even on worn specimens where Class VI extra thickness may be subtle. Class VI doubled dies are among the more challenging varieties to identify because affected elements appear thickened or slightly misshapen rather than sharply separated, requiring careful comparison against a normal example.

Attribution History

• Discovered by John A. Wexler Cross References: CONECA: 2-R-VI
• CONECA: 2-R-VI; Wexler Variety ID: 1935 1¢ WDDR-004
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References