1942 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-001

Description

Bearing the primary DDO-001 designation for the 1942 Lincoln Wheat Cent, this variety displays medium spread on IN GOD WE TRUST, LIBERTY, and the date — three foundational obverse elements whose doubling provides both visual impact and straightforward attribution for collectors. Die markers tracked under UVC-1518 and DMR-003 document three stages: Stage A with both obverse and reverse in Early Die State, Stage B with both in Mid-Die State, and Stage C in Late Die State (unconfirmed). The documented progression from EDS through MDS indicates this die received meaningful examination across its service life, with specimens confirmed at two of three die stages. The 1942 Philadelphia Mint produced over 657 million cents — the penultimate year of the standard bronze composition before the wartime steel cent of 1943 — and this massive output required hundreds of obverse dies. Cataloged by VarietyVista, DDO-001 represents the most prominent doubled die obverse for the date, and the medium spread classification means the doubling should be detectable under moderate (5-10x) magnification without requiring the high-power examination needed for light or close spread varieties.

Die Markers

• UVC-1518
• DMR-003
• Stage A:
• Obverse and Reverse are EDS
• Stage B:
• Obverse and Reverse are MDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Rich Neily
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References