1941 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-012

Description

As the twelfth doubled die obverse variety documented for the 1941 Lincoln Wheat Cent, WDDO-012 — cataloged under Wexler Variety ID 1941 1¢ WDDO-012 — demonstrates how modern attribution methods have expanded the known variety population for heavily produced dates. The 1941 Philadelphia mintage of 887,039,100 cents required an enormous number of working dies, each created through the hubbing process that could introduce slight misalignments between successive impressions. The distinction between this variety and its neighbors in the WDDO sequence rests on the specific combination of design elements affected, the direction of doubling, and any unique die markers that developed during the die's service life. Cherrypickers searching for WDDO-012 should focus their examination on areas where the Lincoln portrait's fine detail — such as the hair curls, ear, and bow tie — might reveal traces of extra metal from a secondary hub impression. Patience and systematic comparison against reference images remain the most reliable path to accurate attribution.

Attribution History

• Wexler Variety ID: 1941 1¢ WDDO-012
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References