1940 Doubled Die Reverse DDR-006

Description

Cataloged by VarietyVista as DDR-006 with die marker references UVC-1446 and DMR-011, this doubled die reverse variety was struck on a 1940 Lincoln Wheat cent at the Philadelphia Mint. The 1940 cent was composed of 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc, weighing 3.11 grams with a 19 mm diameter and a plain edge. Philadelphia struck 586,825,000 cents in 1940, a figure reflecting economic recovery from Depression-era lows as defense spending began to accelerate. The doubling on DDR-006 produces light extra thickness on E PLURIBUS with a lighter spread extending to UNUM, ONE, and the right wheat ear on Victor David Brenner's wheat ears reverse. The characterization of extra thickness on some elements and light spread on others suggests the hub displacement was moderate and may have been partially masked by subsequent die polishing. VarietyVista documents three die stages: Stage A is an early-to-mid die state identified by the reverse showing EMDS characteristics and numerous die scratches running east-to-west above Lincoln's head on the obverse. Stage B is a mid die state that remains unconfirmed. Stage C is a late die state, also unconfirmed. The east-to-west die scratches above the head noted in Stage A represent a distinctive obverse die marker pattern that likely resulted from die preparation or maintenance procedures, and their orientation provides a reliable attribution point for identifying early-state specimens. As the sixth cataloged doubled die reverse for the 1940 Philadelphia cent, DDR-006 contributes to a substantial census of pre-war Wheat cent die varieties from a year when Philadelphia's production was ramping up toward the billion-cent-per-year production levels that would characterize the wartime and post-war periods, with increasing die usage creating more opportunities for hub doubling to occur during the die manufacturing process.

Die Markers

• UVC-1446
• DMR-011
• Stage A:
• Reverse is EMDS
• Numerous die scratches East-West above head – EMDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by James Wiles
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References