1956 Doubled Die Reverse DDR-004

Description

Strong spread on UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and the lower wheat stems, combined with lighter spread on E PLURIBUS UNUM, makes this fourth doubled die reverse for the 1956 Lincoln Wheat Cent one of the more visually prominent varieties for the date. Cross-referenced as FS-801 in the Cherrypickers' Guide — a prestigious listing that identifies the most significant and collectible die varieties — this proof-only DDR carries particular appeal for collectors. VarietyVista catalogs it under UVC-1876 with DMR-013, documenting three die stages: Stage A where both reverse and obverse are in Early Die State, Stage B where both are in Mid Die State, and Stage C where both reach Late Die State. The complete die stage documentation from EDS through LDS indicates the die served its full useful life. The 1956 proof Lincoln Wheat Cent was struck at Philadelphia as part of the regular proof set, two years before the Wheat Ears reverse design concluded its historic 50-year run in 1958. Proof coins receive multiple strikes from specially polished dies at slower speeds, producing the mirror-like surfaces that make doubled die features particularly visible and desirable. The FS-801 designation confirms this as a variety recognized by Cherrypickers' Guide co-authors Bill Fivaz and J.T. Stanton.

Die Markers

• UVC-1876
• DMR-013
• Stage A:
• Reverse and Obverse are EDS
• Stage
• B:
• Reverse and Obverse are MDS
• Stage C:
• Reverse and Obverse are LDS

Attribution History

• Discovered by Delma K. Romines
• FS-801
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References