1938 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-004

Description

Documented by VarietyVista with catalog codes UVC-1406 and DMR-006, this 1938 Lincoln Wheat Cent DDO-004 displays very strong spread on the eye to the southeast — creating a dramatically displaced second eye image — accompanied by medium spread counterclockwise on the R and S of TRUST. The southeast-directed spread on Lincoln's eye is the defining characteristic of this variety, as the delicate detail of the portrait's eye provides exceptional resolution for revealing even moderate hub displacement, and the "very strong" classification indicates the secondary image is sufficiently separated to be visible without high magnification. Four documented die stages provide an unusually detailed progression record: Stage A at early die state (EDS, unconfirmed), Stage B at mid-die-state (MDS, unconfirmed), Stage C at late mid-die-state (LMDS) identified by a die crack through V.D.B. (Victor David Brenner's initials on the truncation of Lincoln's bust) with the reverse also at LMDS, and Stage D at late die state (LDS, unconfirmed). The Stage C die crack through V.D.B. provides a definitive attribution checkpoint for late-mid specimens, as this crack developed at a specific point in the die's service life and was absent during earlier production. The 1938 Lincoln Wheat Cent was struck at the Philadelphia Mint in bronze composition (95% copper, 5% tin and zinc) weighing 3.11 grams with a 19.05 mm diameter. Victor David Brenner designed the obverse Lincoln portrait, introduced in 1909, while the wheat ears reverse served through 1958. The counterclockwise rotation on the R and S of TRUST occurring simultaneously with the southeast spread on the eye suggests a complex hub displacement that combined both linear and rotational components during the secondary hubbing event.

Die Markers

• UVC-1406
• DMR-006
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• Die crack through V.D.B. – LMDS
• Reverse is LMDS
• Stage D:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Michael L. Ellis
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References