1946-S Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-001

Description

San Francisco's 1946 cent production of 198,100,000 pieces marked the facility's first postwar output on standard bronze alloy and one of its last decades of truly high-volume cent production before the Mint's focus shifted toward proof coinage. WDDO-001 is the first doubled die obverse cataloged for the 1946-S Lincoln Wheat Cent, establishing the beginning of the variety record for this date and mintmark. The S mintmark, positioned below the date on the obverse, identifies San Francisco's contribution and adds another diagnostic element that collectors examine alongside the portrait and inscriptions. Doubled die obverses are created when the hubbing process — the transfer of design from a hardened hub to a softened working die — involves a positional shift between successive impressions. The resulting die carries overlapping design elements that appear on every coin it strikes, a hallmark of genuine hub doubling that distinguishes it from striking anomalies. Cataloged under Wexler Variety ID 1946-S 1¢ WDDO-001.

Attribution History

• Wexler Variety ID: 1946-S 1¢ WDDO-001
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References