1950 Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-001

Description

Holding the primary position in the doubled die reverse catalog for the 1950 Proof Lincoln Wheat Cent, WDDR-001 exhibits a close spread towards the center on the upper left wheat lines, the E in E PLURIBUS UNUM, and the left dot — design elements on Victor David Brenner's iconic wheat ears reverse that terminated with the 1958 proof issue. As the first cataloged doubled die reverse for the 1950 proof cent, this variety holds primary position in the reverse DDR sequence for the date. Obverse die markers include a die gouge in the field east of Lincoln's eyebrow, while the reverse carries a small die gouge on the upper part of the diagonal bar of the N in ONE. The "close spread towards the center" description indicates that the hub doubling shifted the secondary impression inward relative to the primary design, creating doubled outlines that converge rather than diverge — a spread direction that can be more challenging to detect than outward spreads but is equally diagnostic. Proof production at Philadelphia in 1950 employed specially prepared dies and polished planchets to achieve the mirror-like fields and frosted devices characteristic of proof coinage. Despite the controlled environment, the die manufacturing process was susceptible to the same hub misalignment that affected business strike dies, and doubled dies on proof coins stand out with particular clarity against the pristine proof surfaces. The 1950 proof set had a relatively low mintage compared to later decades, making documented varieties on these proofs less frequently encountered than comparable varieties on high-mintage business strikes. No additional cross-references to CONECA or Cherrypickers are currently known for this variety.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Dr. Daniel Griffin Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1950 1¢ Pr WDDR-001
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References