1944 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-027

Description

Attributed in the Wexler Doubled Die Files under 1944 1¢ WDDO-027, this Philadelphia Mint Lincoln Wheat Cent doubled die obverse carries the CONECA cross-reference 11-O-VIII. The CONECA Class VIII designation describes a tilted hub doubling where the secondary image is rotated relative to the primary, producing a characteristic spread on obverse legends and devices. The 1944 Lincoln Wheat Cent has a historically notable composition: following the unpopular zinc-coated steel cents of 1943, the Mint returned to copper in 1944 using metal sourced largely from recycled ammunition shell casings, yielding a slightly different alloy than pre-war cents. No mintmark indicates Philadelphia production. Within a mintage exceeding one billion pieces, die-specific doubled die varieties like WDDO-027 represent a recoverable fraction accessible only through systematic cherrypicking. The CONECA cross-reference 11-O-VIII allows collectors to locate this variety in the CONECA master files for comparison against other Class VIII obverse doubled dies from the same date.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Brian Archer Cross References: CONECA: 11-O-VIII
• CONECA: 11-O-VIII; Wexler Variety ID: 1944 1¢ WDDO-027
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References