1940-D Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-006

Description

Sixth Wexler-documented reverse doubled die for the 1940-D Lincoln wheat cent, WDDR-006 displays extra thickness on E PLURIBUS UNUM, both dots flanking the motto, both wheat ears, and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA — a comprehensive spread that touches virtually every major reverse design element on Victor David Brenner's iconic wheat ear reverse. The breadth of affected elements, spanning inscriptions, punctuation, and organic devices, indicates a substantial hub displacement that distributed the secondary impression across the entire reverse working area. The obverse carries a significant secondary variety: it is identified as a repunched mintmark (RPM) listed in the Wexler RPM Files, making specimens from this die marriage potential dual-attribution candidates for both the reverse doubled die and the obverse repunched mintmark. Cross-referenced as Wexler Variety ID: 1940-D 1c WDDR-006, with an additional notation "s:" suggesting supplementary attribution system listings that were incompletely captured. Denver struck approximately 81.39 million Lincoln cents in 1940, a robust production year during the final phase of the wheat cent era. The extra thickness characterization — as opposed to clearly separated doubling — indicates the primary and secondary hub impressions are closely spaced, producing broadened strokes rather than distinct doubled images. Both wheat ears' involvement is particularly diagnostic because the organic grain detail provides textured surfaces where even subtle thickening becomes visually apparent under magnification, and the inclusion of both dots flanking E PLURIBUS UNUM demonstrates the displacement was symmetrical enough to affect elements on both sides of the reverse centerline. Collectors should first check the obverse mintmark for the RPM diagnostic, then examine the reverse wheat ears under 15x magnification for the extra thickness, using the dots flanking the motto as additional confirmation points.

Attribution History

• s:; Wexler Variety ID: 1940-D 1¢ WDDR-006
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References