1961 Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-013

Description

Displaying a close spread towards the center on the designer's initials FG, the lower right portion of the Memorial building, and the inscription AMERICA, the 1961 Proof Lincoln Memorial Cent WDDR-013 is a Class II distorted hub doubling variety whose effects are concentrated in the right-center and lower-right zones of the reverse. The involvement of the lower right Memorial — encompassing portions of the columns, cornice, and architectural detail — sets this variety apart from several other 1961 DDR varieties that affect only inscriptions, since the Lincoln Memorial's architectural elements provide a larger surface area on which the centripetal displacement can be observed. No significant obverse die markers have been noted. On the reverse, a short die scratch running in a southwest-to-northeast direction below the second bush from the left on the right Memorial base serves as a key attribution diagnostic. This scratch's specific location relative to the landscaping elements flanking the Memorial building provides a precise reference point for authentication. Cataloged by the Wexler Team as 1961 1¢ Pr WDDR-013 with no known cross-references, this Proof variety benefits from the sharp, fully defined surfaces of Proof coinage, which preserve both the subtle centripetal spread and the die scratch diagnostic with exceptional clarity. Collectors examining candidates should begin with the lower right Memorial area, where the spread tends to be most readily visible, before confirming the die scratch location on the right base.

Attribution History

• Discovered by John A. Wexler Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1961 1¢ Pr WDDR-013
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References