1944 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-006

Description

Sixth doubled die obverse for the highest-mintage Philadelphia Wheat Cent year, 1944's shell-case brass production exceeded 1.43 billion cents — a figure not surpassed at Philadelphia until well into the Memorial Cent era. WDDO-006 falls in the early-to-mid range of the Wexler catalog for this date, suggesting a variety with more readily detectable doubling than the higher-numbered entries. Wexler Variety ID: 1944 1¢ WDDO-006 is the sole published attribution, with no die markers or competing cross-references documented. The shell-case brass composition — sourced from military ammunition casings collected and reprocessed during wartime copper conservation — imparts a slightly more golden tone to 1944 cents compared to the standard pre-1943 bronze, and this difference in surface characteristics can subtly affect how doubling appears under magnification. Hub doubling on the Lincoln obverse typically manifests most visibly on the high-relief date numerals and the fine serifs of the motto inscriptions.

Attribution History

• Wexler Variety ID: 1944 1¢ WDDO-006
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References