1942 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-009

Description

Cataloged as Wexler Variety ID 1942 1¢ WDDO-009, this Philadelphia Mint Lincoln Wheat Cent carries a doubled die obverse from the concluding year of the original bronze alloy. The 1942 production year represents a watershed moment in Lincoln Cent history: it was simultaneously the last year of the composition that had served since 1909 and the year when wartime exigencies began permanently reshaping American coinage. Hub doubling events like the one preserved in WDDO-009 occurred when the working hub's design was impressed into the die blank with imperfect registration, creating a die that would then reproduce the doubling on every coin it struck. For collectors assembling a comprehensive set of 1942 doubled die varieties, each new WDDO number represents a separate working die — and therefore a separate manufacturing event — that adds to our understanding of how many dies were prepared for the year's production. The doubling characteristics specific to WDDO-009 distinguish it from the other documented varieties through its unique combination of affected design elements.

Attribution History

• Wexler Variety ID: 1942 1¢ WDDO-009
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References