1940-S Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-001

Description

Cataloged by the Wexler Team as 1940-S 1¢ WDDR-001 and cross-referenced as CONECA 3-R-II and Coppercoins 1940S-1DR-001, this Class II doubled die reverse variety was struck on a 1940-S Lincoln Wheat cent at the San Francisco 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. San Francisco struck 112,940,000 cents in 1940, a production figure that reflected the recovery from Depression-era lows as defense spending began to stimulate the economy ahead of American entry into World War II. The doubling on WDDR-001 is classified as a strong Class II (distorted hub) spread toward the center, visible on the letters of E PLURIBUS UNUM, both dots flanking the motto, both upper wheat ears, the word ONE, and the T of CENT. This extensive distribution of doubling across multiple reverse design elements — spanning from the upper motto through the denomination text to the wheat ear details — indicates a substantial hub deformation event during the die manufacturing process. Obverse die markers include a die crack running east-northeast through the upper hair from the back of Lincoln's head to the top of the head, ending between the words WE and TRUST. This obverse crack suggests the die saw considerable production use before being retired. On the reverse, a strong vertical die scratch can be found inside the C of CENT, and three vertical die scratches appear above the N of UNITED. As WDDR-001 — the first cataloged doubled die reverse for the 1940-S date — this variety represents the primary DDR attribution for San Francisco's 1940 cent production. The triple cross-referencing across Wexler, CONECA, and Coppercoins cataloging systems confirms the variety's significance and widespread recognition within the die variety collecting community.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Frank Baumann Cross References: CONECA: 3-R-II, Coppercoins: 1940S-1DR-001
• CONECA: 3-R-II, Coppercoins: 1940S-1DR-001; Wexler Variety ID: 1940-S 1¢ WDDR-001
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References