1948 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-003

Description

Philadelphia's 1948 cent production of approximately 317 million pieces returned to standard bronze alloy after the wartime shell-case brass years, and WDDO-003 documents one of three doubled die obverse varieties cataloged for this date. Postwar die production in the late 1940s continued to rely on the multiple-impression hubbing process that created doubled dies throughout the series, though advances in equipment maintenance gradually reduced their frequency compared to the prolific wartime years. Cataloged by the Wexler Team as Variety ID: 1948 1¢ WDDO-003. Three DDO varieties for 1948 sits within the normal range for a moderate-mintage late Wheat Cent date — fewer than the extraordinary concentrations seen in 1943 or 1946 but consistent with the ongoing reality that manual hubbing alignment produced occasional misregistration. No die markers or competing cross-references have been published, requiring collectors to rely on the Wexler reference diagnostics for attribution.

Attribution History

• Wexler Variety ID: 1948 1¢ WDDO-003
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References