1943 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-011

Description

Cataloged by VarietyVista with UVC-1556 and DMR-012, DDO-011 on the 1943 Philadelphia Lincoln cent exhibits strong extra thickness on the date, LIBERTY, and WE TRUST. The 1943 cent holds a unique position in American numismatics as the only year when cents were struck on zinc-coated steel planchets, a wartime measure to conserve copper for military use. This unusual composition creates a distinctive grayish appearance and makes the coins susceptible to corrosion — the zinc coating erodes over time, exposing the steel core beneath. Three die stages are documented: Stage A in early die state (unconfirmed), Stage B at early-to-mid die state with a light die crack developing over the V.D.B. initials and the reverse also at early-to-mid state, and Stage C in late die state (unconfirmed). The emergence of the V.D.B. crack at the relatively early Stage B suggests this die was under above-average stress, possibly from the harder steel planchets requiring greater striking pressure than the standard bronze composition. Philadelphia produced over 684 million steel cents in 1943, an enormous output driven by wartime coinage demands. Strong extra thickness on the date and LIBERTY is the most reliable pickup point — the bold numerals 1943 provide ample surface area where thickening from hub doubling becomes readily apparent under standard magnification.

Die Markers

• UVC-1556
• DMR-012
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Light die crack over V. D. B. – EMDS
• Reverse is EMDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Larry Patterson
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References