1941-S Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-001

Description

Attributed by the Wexler Team as 1941-S 1¢ WDDR-001, this doubled die reverse variety appears on a 1941-S Lincoln Wheat cent struck at the San Francisco Mint. The 1941-S cent was produced in the pre-war bronze composition of 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc, weighing 3.11 grams with a 19 mm diameter and a plain edge. San Francisco struck 92,360,000 cents in 1941, a substantially smaller production run than Philadelphia's output, making San Francisco mint examples inherently less common in circulation. The doubling on WDDR-001 is classified as Class VI (distended hub), where the hub expanded slightly under pressure during the hubbing process, causing extra thickness and separation that spreads toward the center of the design. This spreading effect is visible on both wheat ears and their stems, the letters of E PLURIBUS UNUM, and the dots flanking the motto. The spread-toward-center characteristic is the defining trait of Class VI doubling, distinguishing it from the rotational displacement of Class II or the pivoted displacement of Class V varieties. Obverse die markers confirm this coin also carries the Small S mintmark variety, and a small die gouge resembling a dot can be found between the nine and the four in the date, providing a secondary attribution point. The reverse shows early die state characteristics with no significant additional markers beyond the doubling itself. Cross-referenced as CONECA 1-R-VI and Coppercoins 1941S-1DR-001, this variety is well-documented across multiple attribution services. Victor David Brenner's wheat ears reverse, with its parallel stalks and fine lettering, provides excellent surfaces for detecting hub doubling, and WDDR-001 remains one of the more notable San Francisco doubled die reverses from the wartime production era.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Delma K. Romines Cross References: CONECA: 1-R-VI, Coppercoins: 1941S-1DR-001
• CONECA: 1-R-VI, Coppercoins: 1941S-1DR-001; Wexler Variety ID: 1941-S 1¢ WDDR-001
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References