1945-D Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-025

Description

Twenty-fifth in the Wexler obverse doubled die census for the 1945-D Lincoln wheat cent, WDDO-025 presents moderate extra thickness on three primary obverse elements: the date digits, the LIBERTY inscription, and the IN GOD WE TRUST motto — abbreviated as IGWT in variety shorthand. Victor David Brenner's Lincoln portrait has provided the canvas for hundreds of documented doubled die obverses across the series, and the 1945-D date represents wartime production at the Denver Mint, where approximately 266.3 million cents were struck using the standard bronze composition that had been restored for 1944 after the wartime steel experiment of 1943. The moderate classification positions this variety between light and strong spread, indicating the doubling is visible under standard magnification but does not produce the dramatic visual separation associated with the strongest doubled dies. No significant obverse or reverse die markers were recorded by the Wexler Team, meaning the doubling itself serves as the primary identification criterion. The cross-reference notation includes "s:" followed by the Wexler Variety ID: 1945-D 1¢ WDDO-025, suggesting an additional attribution source listing may have existed but was incompletely captured in the database. Wartime cent production operated under accelerated schedules with extended die service, and the resulting die fatigue created conditions favorable for hub doubling events as dies were pressed into longer production runs before replacement. Collectors hunting for WDDO-025 should examine the date, LIBERTY, and IN GOD WE TRUST under 12-18x magnification, looking for consistent directional thickening across all three inscription areas — uniformity of spread direction across multiple design elements is the hallmark of genuine hub doubling as opposed to machine doubling, which typically shows flat, shelf-like displacement concentrated in a single area.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Chris Hurley Cross References: None known
• s:; Wexler Variety ID: 1945-D 1¢ WDDO-025
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References