1961 Proof Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-001

Description

The earliest-numbered doubled die obverse in the 1961 Proof Lincoln Memorial Cent series, WDDO-001 presents a very close spread directed towards the rim on the letters of LIBERTY. The outward displacement toward the periphery indicates a Class I rotated hub doubling event, where the secondary hub impression was shifted slightly outward relative to the first, embedding a faint secondary image on the LIBERTY inscription that is displaced toward the coin's edge. On Proof coinage — where the deeply mirrored fields create a stark contrast with the frosted, sharply struck lettering — even very close spreads on prominent inscriptions like LIBERTY become detectable under moderate magnification with proper lighting technique. The obverse presents no significant die markers, so the doubling pattern on LIBERTY itself serves as the primary obverse diagnostic. The reverse, however, carries small die gouges inside the lower E of UNITED and just above the right end of the middle crossbar of the same E, providing two closely spaced but distinct authentication points that allow collectors to confirm the specific die identity independently of the obverse doubling assessment. The 1961 Proof cent production at Philadelphia employed numerous working dies, and the multi-impression hubbing process used throughout this era meant that each die represented an independent opportunity for hub misregistration. WDDO-001 stands at the head of the documented sequence, and its combination of LIBERTY doubling and reverse E-of-UNITED die gouges gives it a clear diagnostic profile within the broader family of 1961 Proof doubled die obverse varieties.

Die Markers

• Obverse: None significant. Reverse: Small die gouges can be found inside the lower E of UNITED and just above the right end of the middle crossbar of the E.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Wexler Team

External References