1942 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-012

Description

As one of the higher-numbered doubled die obverse varieties for 1942, WDDO-012 — Wexler Variety ID 1942 1¢ WDDO-012 — reflects the continued expansion of die variety research on this historically significant Lincoln Wheat Cent date. The final bronze cents carry a weight of 3.11 grams in the familiar 19mm diameter that would remain constant even as the composition shifted to steel in 1943 and then to copper-plated zinc in 1982. Doubled die obverse varieties from 1942 are particularly interesting to metallurgical numismatists because the bronze alloy's behavior under die pressure differs subtly from the steel and zinc compositions that followed — the softer bronze captured finer detail from the hub, potentially making minor doubling more visible on 1942 specimens than equivalent displacement would be on later compositions. Cherrypickers targeting WDDO-012 should examine specimens with good original surfaces, as wear and corrosion can obscure the subtle diagnostics that separate this variety from its catalog neighbors.

Attribution History

• Wexler Variety ID: 1942 1¢ WDDO-012
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References