1943-S Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-016

Description

Sixteenth doubled die obverse from the Wexler Team for the 1943 San Francisco Lincoln Steel Cent, WDDO-016 was struck on zinc-coated steel planchets adopted as an emergency wartime measure to conserve copper for ammunition. Die markers appear on both sides, with clashed die evidence among the supplementary diagnostics — remnants from at least one planchet-less strike cycle where the dies contacted each other directly, transferring ghost design elements onto both surfaces. The harder steel composition wore dies more rapidly than bronze, increasing failure rates and generating more varieties per unit of production. San Francisco struck 191,550,000 steel cents in 1943, requiring numerous die pairs. The clashed die markers alongside the primary hub doubling make WDDO-016 a multi-feature die with both manufacturing and production anomalies. Cataloged under Wexler Variety ID 1943-S 1-cent WDDO-016, this variety appeals to collectors pursuing the wartime steel cent series, where unusual composition and challenging striking conditions produced a rich variety landscape. Reverse: Die Markers: Obverse: Die scratches run west to east to either side of the D in GOD, between the D and the rim. Die scratches run NNW/SSE in front of and under the chin. Heavy crisscrossing die scratches run in front of the brow. Concentric die scratches run in and around the ear. Reverse: Two die gouges (dots) are present on the west and upper inside of the first U of PLURIBUS. A die gouge is present north of between the US in PLURIBUS. A small die chip present on the east upper leg of the N in ONE. A light die crack runs northwest off of the upper west corner of the E of ONE. A die scratch runs northwest from the S to the E in STATES.

Attribution History

• s:; Wexler Variety ID: 1943-S 1¢ WDDO-016
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References