1946 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-004

Description

Attributed by the Wexler Team as 1946 1¢ WDDO-004, this Lincoln Wheat Cent presents an exceptionally strong variety with extremely thick date digits plus strong extra thickness on LIBERTY and IN GOD WE TRUST — a comprehensive doubling pattern affecting all major obverse inscriptions and indicating a substantial hub displacement during die manufacturing. The dramatic date thickening is the most visually prominent feature, making this one of the more eye-catching doubled die obverses for the 1946 Lincoln Cent date. Obverse die markers include a short diagonal die scratch above the E in LIBERTY and a small die gouge (dot) below the Y in LIBERTY. The reverse of this die pair is itself a minor doubled die, listed separately as 1946 1¢ WDDR-007, exhibiting a clockwise spread on the upper left wheat lines, EPU (E PLURIBUS UNUM), and both dots from a pivot point at approximately 5 o'clock. A die gouge (dot) between the upper E and S in STATES provides a reverse attribution marker. This DDO/DDR combination makes the variety particularly noteworthy — both dies in the pair received misaligned secondary hub impressions during their separate manufacturing events, creating doubled features on both sides of every coin struck from this die pair. The Lincoln Wheat Cent in 1946 was struck at the Philadelphia Mint in the standard bronze composition of 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc, weighing 3.11 grams with a 19.05 mm diameter. Victor David Brenner designed the obverse portrait, and the wheat ears reverse served from 1909 through 1958. The 1946 date marked the first full year of postwar peace and represented a return to normal mint operations after the disruptions of World War II. The extremely thick date combined with the DDO/DDR pairing elevates this variety above typical minor doubled dies in collector desirability.

Attribution History

• s:; Wexler Variety ID: 1946 1¢ WDDO-004
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References