1945-D Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-005

Description

Fifth in the sequence of documented Denver-mint 1945 doubled die obverse varieties, WDDO-005 was identified through the Wexler Team's ongoing die study of wartime Lincoln cent production. Carrying Wexler Variety ID: 1945-D 1¢ WDDO-005, this hub doubling event occurred during die preparation at Philadelphia's die manufacturing operation before the finished die was shipped to Denver for installation. The 1945-D wheat cent, struck on shell-case copper planchets derived from recycled military brass, has a mintage of 266,268,000 — a substantial but not exceptional output for the Denver facility during this period. WDDO-005, sitting in the mid-range of the catalog sequence, likely exhibits moderate doubling visibility that falls between the stronger early-numbered varieties and the more subtle later additions. Diagnostic examination should focus on the standard hub doubling target areas: the motto letters, date numerals, and portrait contours where even fractional hub displacement produces identifiable separation. The shell-case alloy's slightly different metallurgical properties compared to standard brass can affect die impression depth and surface flow, meaning that doubling on 1945 cents sometimes presents differently than on equivalent pre-war or post-1946 issues. Collectors working through wartime wheat cent varieties should account for this metallurgical factor when comparing doubling characteristics across different alloy years.

Attribution History

• Wexler Variety ID: 1945-D 1¢ WDDO-005
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References