1936 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-005

Description

Attributed by the Wexler Team as WDDO-005, this 1936 Lincoln Wheat Cent doubled die obverse displays a Class V clockwise spread from a pivot point at approximately 4:00, with doubling visible on LIBERTY and slight doubling on the date. Class V doubling, known as pivoted hub doubling, occurs when the hub rotates slightly between impressions during die preparation, producing a spread that increases with distance from the pivot point. At the 4:00 pivot location, the upper-left portions of the design — including LIBERTY — show the greatest displacement, while elements closer to the pivot exhibit progressively less doubling. Specific die markers aid attribution: on the obverse, a die gouge can be found on the underside of the front curl of hair, and on the reverse, a small die gouge sits above the left side of the right wheat ear. These die-specific imperfections serve as fingerprints that confirm a coin was struck from this particular die pair, even when the primary doubling is faint from wear or weak strike. No cross-references to other attribution systems are currently known. The 1936 Wheat Cent was produced during the Great Depression era, a period when the Philadelphia Mint's production reflected the economic realities of the time. Victor David Brenner's obverse design of Lincoln had been in use since 1909, and by 1936 the die production process was well established, though hub doubling events remained an unavoidable consequence of the multi-impression hubbing method used to create working dies during this period.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Frank Baumann Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1936 1¢ WDDO-005
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References