1942 Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-001

Description

First doubled die reverse cataloged for the 1942 Lincoln Wheat Cent, WDDR-001 holds the distinction of being the inaugural entry in what would become one of the most populated DDR families for any single date in the Wheat Cent series. As the primary DDR, it was likely the first variety discovered — potentially featuring the most pronounced or most easily detected doubling among the sixteen-plus DDRs eventually documented for this date. The 1942 Philadelphia Mint cent represents the last year of standard 95% copper bronze composition before the wartime emergency drove the Mint to zinc-coated steel in 1943, giving every 1942 variety the added context of terminal bronze composition production. Doubled die reverses form when the working hub shifts position between the multiple impressions required to fully transfer the design into a working die, embedding doubled elements that transfer to every coin struck. WDDR-001 preserves the specific pattern of the first documented misalignment, establishing the beginning of a catalog that would grow through subsequent decades of research. Attributed by the Wexler Team under Wexler Variety ID: 1942 1¢ WDDR-001, this foundational variety anchors the 1942 DDR sequence and remains a priority target for collectors assembling complete DDR sets for this historically significant wartime date.

Attribution History

• Wexler Variety ID: 1942 1¢ WDDR-001
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References