1946 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-007

Description

Cataloged as Wexler Variety ID: 1946 1¢ WDDO-007, this doubled die obverse was struck at Philadelphia during the first full year of peace following World War II. The 1946 cent continued the shell-case brass composition of 95% copper, 5% zinc — the same recycled military alloy used since 1944 — as the Mint had not yet transitioned back to traditional bronze. Philadelphia produced 991,655,000 cents in 1946, reflecting civilian demand as the post-war economy shifted from military to consumer production. The 1946 date is among the most extensively studied in the Lincoln Wheat cent series for DDO varieties, with thirty or more WDDO numbers documented. This extraordinary concentration results from the confluence of high production volume, rapid die turnover, and decades of focused research. Hub doubling on WDDO-007 was created during die manufacture when successive hub impressions failed to register precisely, leaving a secondary image on specific obverse elements. Under the Truman administration, the nation was rebuilding, and these commonplace cents served as the backbone of everyday commerce.

Attribution History

• Wexler Variety ID: 1946 1¢ WDDO-007
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References