1944 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-008

Description

Eighth in the Wexler obverse doubled die census for the 1944 Lincoln wheat cent, WDDO-008 presents the distinctive doubled eyelid diagnostic — an extra eyelid visible below Lincoln's normal eyelid on Victor David Brenner's portrait that has appeared on the cent obverse since 1909. The doubled eyelid is one of the most visually intuitive forms of hub doubling on Lincoln cents, as the human eye naturally focuses on facial features when examining a portrait, making the secondary eyelid contour more likely to be noticed during casual inspection than many inscription-based doubling varieties. The Wexler Team recorded two die-specific markers: on the obverse, a small die gouge below the left point of the first 4 in the date; on the reverse, a die scratch running northeast from the top left of the second T in STATES. These markers provide crucial secondary confirmation points independent of the eyelid doubling. Philadelphia struck approximately 1.44 billion cents in 1944, a massive wartime output using the standard bronze composition that had been restored after the emergency zinc-coated steel planchets of 1943. The return to bronze meant dies experienced familiar wear patterns compared to the harder steel planchets of the prior year. Cross-referenced as Wexler Variety ID: 1944 1¢ WDDO-008, with no additional attribution system listings currently known. Collectors should first locate the die gouge below the left point of the first 4 in the date to confirm the correct obverse die, then examine Lincoln's eye area under 10-15x magnification, looking for a distinct secondary eyelid line below and slightly displaced from the primary eyelid contour. The reverse die scratch from the second T of STATES provides a final verification checkpoint after establishing the obverse attribution.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Bill Wilson (upgraded by Robert Lawson) Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1944 1¢ WDDO-008
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References