1938 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-001

Description

Attributed by the Wexler Team as 1938 1¢ WDDO-001, this doubled die obverse variety appears on a 1938 Lincoln Wheat cent struck at the Philadelphia Mint. The 1938 cent was produced in the standard bronze composition of 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc, weighing 3.11 grams with a 19 mm diameter and a plain edge. Philadelphia struck 156,682,000 cents in 1938, a figure reflecting the lingering effects of the Great Depression on coinage demand as the nation remained in economic recovery. The doubling on WDDO-001 is classified as a light counterclockwise spread from a pivot point at approximately 6 o'clock, showing on WE TRUST from the motto IN GOD WE TRUST. This Class V (pivoted hub) mechanism occurs when the hub rotates slightly around a fixed point between hubbing impressions, creating a curved displacement pattern where elements closer to the pivot point show minimal movement while those farther away exhibit greater separation. The pivot at 6 o'clock means the doubling is most pronounced in the upper portions of the obverse design and diminishes toward the bottom. Obverse die markers are distinctive: a die gouge on the top of the nose resembles a doubled eyelid and should not be confused with actual design doubling, and a die crack from the rim at 7 o'clock runs through the V and top of the D in Victor David Brenner's designer initials VDB. On the reverse, northeast-to-southwest die scratches run from under the left dot and the E of E PLURIBUS UNUM. Cross-referenced as CONECA 4-O-VIII, this variety holds the significant distinction of being the first cataloged doubled die obverse for the 1938 date, a year that also saw the introduction of the Jefferson nickel and the final year of the Buffalo nickel, making 1938 a transitional year in American numismatic history.

Attribution History

• Discovered by John Wexler Cross References: CONECA: 4-O-VIII
• CONECA: 4-O-VIII; Wexler Variety ID: 1938 1¢ WDDO-001
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References