1944 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-016

Description

VarietyVista cataloged this 1944 Lincoln Wheat cent as DDO-016, a doubled die obverse exhibiting a light spread on the digits 194 of the date and both T letters in TRUST. The coin weighs 3.1 grams, measures 19 mm in diameter, and is composed of the standard 95% copper and 5% tin-and-zinc alloy that was restored for 1944 production after the wartime 1943 steel cent experiment. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint, this variety is tracked under Universal Variety Code UVC-3471 and Die Marker Reference DMR-021. Three die states are documented: Stage A where the obverse is in early die state with numerous light die scratches running north-south visible on the reverse, Stage B at mid die state (unconfirmed), and Stage C at late die state (unconfirmed). The north-south die scratches on the reverse in early die state provide an important secondary diagnostic, as these directional scratches suggest the die underwent polishing or suffered contact damage in a consistent linear pattern. The light spread on the date digits and TRUST letters classifies this as a minor but confirmed doubled die, requiring magnification of 10x or greater for reliable detection. The 1944 Philadelphia Mint produced over 1.4 billion Lincoln cents as wartime demand for small change remained intense, creating a vast surviving population. This variety belongs to the Lincoln Wheat Cents 1909-1958 series, and the 1944 date holds particular interest because it marks the return to bronze composition after the controversial 1943 zinc-coated steel cents that were frequently confused with dimes.

Die Markers

• UVC-3471
• DMR-021
• Stage A:
• Obverse is EDS
• Numerous light die scratches North-South on Reverse – EDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Keith Christenson
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References