1939 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-007

Description

Cataloged by VarietyVista with die markers UVC-1425 and DMR-009, this 1939 Lincoln Wheat Cent doubled die obverse has been documented across three die stages, with the Late Die State carrying especially notable diagnostics. Stage A represents the Early Die State (unconfirmed), with clean die surfaces free of significant cracking. Stage B advances to Mid Die State (also unconfirmed), where moderate die wear has developed. Stage C reaches Late Die State, distinguished by two specific die cracks: one over the V.D.B. initials on Lincoln's shoulder truncation and another running from the lower right wheat grains to the rim — these LDS cracks provide the strongest diagnostic markers for this die, as their presence or absence immediately establishes whether a specimen comes from the early or late production phase. The die crack over V.D.B. is particularly notable because these tiny initials — Victor David Brenner's signature, restored to the coin in 1918 after being controversially removed in 1909 — sit in a high-stress area of the die where cracks commonly develop in later die states. The 1939 Lincoln Wheat Cent was struck at the Philadelphia Mint in bronze composition — 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc — weighing 3.11 grams with a diameter of 19.0 mm and a plain edge. Produced during the final years of the Great Depression, the 1939 date saw increased mintages as the American economy began its recovery. As DDO-007, this variety holds the seventh catalog position among doubled die obverses for the 1939 date, and the three-stage documentation with specific LDS crack markers provides collectors with a detailed framework for die state attribution and chronological positioning of their specimens.

Die Markers

• UVC-1425
• DMR-009
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• Die crack over V.D.B. – LDS
• Die crack from lower Right wheat grains to rim – LDS

Attribution History

• Discovered by James Wiles
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References