1940-D Doubled Die Obverse DDO-002

Description

Documented by VarietyVista with detailed die state tracking, the 1940-D Doubled Die Obverse DDO-002 Lincoln Wheat Cent exhibits a light spread on GOD WE TRUST and the 40 of the date — a subtle but attributable doubling affecting both the motto and the final two date digits. This variety's die history is notably complex, involving two different reverse dies paired sequentially with the same doubled obverse die. Under UVC-2558 with DMR-012, Stage A is cataloged as early die state (unconfirmed) and Stage B shows the obverse in late-mid-die-state with a die crack running northwest from the upper E of ONE appearing in very late die state. The obverse die was then paired with a second reverse die, documented as UVC-1455 with DMR-008, where Stage C shows a die crack over the V.D.B. designer's initials in late die state while the replacement reverse die is in mid-die-state. This die marriage sequence — one obverse paired with two successive reverse dies — provides a documented chronology of die usage at the Denver Mint, revealing that when the first reverse die wore out, the still-serviceable doubled obverse die was paired with a fresh reverse to continue production. Victor David Brenner's Lincoln portrait graces the obverse, while the wheat ears reverse design served the denomination from 1909 through 1958. Composed of 95% copper with 5% tin and zinc, the coin weighs 3.11 grams with a 19.05 mm diameter. The 1940-D had a mintage of approximately 81.4 million pieces. The reverse die change midway through this obverse die's life creates two distinct collectible die states — pre-change and post-change — each identifiable by the specific reverse die markers documented in the VarietyVista catalog.

Die Markers

• UVC-2558
• DMR-012
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Obverse is LMDS
• Die crack Northwest from upper E of ONE – VLDS
• UVC-1455
• DMR-008
• Stage C:
• Die crack over V.D.B. – LDS
• Reverse die changed – MDS

Attribution History

• Discovered by Gil Medina, Larry Patterson
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References