1942-D Doubled Die Reverse DDR-004

Description

Struck during the final year of standard bronze composition before the wartime transition to zinc-coated steel in 1943, the 1942-D Lincoln Wheat Cent DDR-004 exhibits light spread directed west on the O of ONE. Cataloged by VarietyVista under UVC-3429 and DMR-024, this variety's subtle doubling requires careful magnification to detect, as the westward spread on a single letter represents one of the lighter doubled die reverse categories. Three die states are documented: Stage A in Early Die State (unconfirmed), Stage B in Mid Die State (unconfirmed), and Stage C in Late Die State (unconfirmed), all awaiting confirmed specimens. Denver's 1942 cent production exceeded two hundred six million pieces as the wartime economy drove enormous demand for coinage. The bronze composition of 95% copper, 5% tin and zinc would be replaced the following year by zinc-coated steel to conserve copper for military use, making 1942 the last "normal" Lincoln Cent before the wartime experiment. DDR-004 preserves a die variety from this transitional moment in American coinage.

Die Markers

• UVC-3429
• DMR-024
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Reverse and Obverse are MDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Robert Umbarger
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References