1940-S Doubled Die Reverse DDR-011

Description

Cataloged by VarietyVista as DDR-011, this 1940-S Lincoln Wheat cent exhibits light extra thickness on E PLURIBUS UNUM and both upper wheat ears, the result of hub doubling during reverse die preparation at the San Francisco Mint. The variety carries the catalog numbers UVC-2931 DMR-027 and has been tracked through multiple die stages. Stage A, the early die state, is identified by short die gouges emanating from the upper northeast of ONE, with the obverse also in EDS condition. Stage B at mid-die-state and Stage C at late die state both remain unconfirmed, awaiting examples that would document the progressive deterioration of this die pair. San Francisco Mint Lincoln cents from 1940 are readily available to collectors, and the reverse doubling on the UNUM lettering and wheat ears provides a focused search area for cherrypickers working through accumulations of pre-war Wheat cents. The extra thickness on the wheat ears is particularly useful as a diagnostic because the curved organic lines of the wheat design make even slight doubling more perceptible than it might be on geometric lettering, giving collectors a reliable visual cue when scanning coins at moderate magnification.

Die Markers

• UVC-2931
• DMR-027
• Stage A:
• Short die gouges from upper NE of ONE – EDS
• Obverse is EDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by James Wiles
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References