1946 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-017

Description

Wexler Variety ID: 1946 1¢ WDDO-017 is a doubled die obverse from the 1946 Philadelphia Mint, one of more than thirty such varieties cataloged for this prolific date. Die variety research on the Lincoln Wheat cent spans decades and involves specialists who examine coins, document doublings, and submit findings for expert review before new catalog numbers are assigned. The 1946 cent was struck on shell-case brass — 95% copper, 5% zinc — the recycled military alloy used since 1944. Philadelphia's output of 991,655,000 pieces placed enormous demands on the die shop, where each die was manufactured by impressing a master hub through multiple applications. The greater the number of dies required, the greater the probability that some received impressions with positional variance. Brenner's obverse presents several areas where doubling commonly appears: IN GOD WE TRUST, LIBERTY to Lincoln's right, and the date numerals. Each Wexler variety shows doubling in a specific combination of these elements, and the direction and class of displacement give each entry its unique identity. For the 1946 cent, this rich record transforms an unremarkable date into a collector's laboratory.

Attribution History

• Wexler Variety ID: 1946 1¢ WDDO-017
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References