1950-D Doubled Die Obverse DDO-001

Description

Two distinct die marriages document the production history of DDO-001 on the 1950 Denver Mint Lincoln Wheat Cent. The first pairing, cataloged as UVC-1782 and DMR-010, covers Stages A and B, with Stage B reaching a very late die state (VLDS) on the reverse. A reverse die change then produced the second pairing under UVC-1783 and DMR-011, covering Stages C and D with a fresh reverse die replacing the severely deteriorated original. This die pair change within the variety's life span preserves both die marriages under a single DDO designation, documenting the Mint's practice of replacing exhausted reverse dies while continuing to use a still-serviceable obverse die. The VLDS condition of the reverse in Stage B likely triggered the replacement, as die deterioration at that extreme level degrades strike quality beyond acceptable production standards. The transition from DMR-010 to DMR-011 marks the precise point where the reverse die swap occurred, making this variety a useful case study in mid-production die management at the Denver Mint during the late Wheat Cent era.

Die Markers

• UVC-1782
• DMR-010
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Obverse is MDS
• Reverse is VLDS
• UVC-1783
• DMR-011
• Stage C:
• Obverse is LMDS
• Reverse die changed – MDS
• Stage D:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by William McMurray
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References