1962 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-035

Description

Stepping up in visibility from the light spread of its predecessor, the 1962 Proof Lincoln Memorial Cent DDO-035 displays a medium spread on the date — a classification indicating that the secondary hub impression is plainly discernible under moderate magnification without requiring the exacting lighting conditions demanded by light-spread varieties. This enhanced visibility makes DDO-035 one of the more collector-friendly proof DDO entries in the 1962 catalog, as the displaced image on the date digits can typically be confirmed at 8x to 10x rather than requiring the 16x often needed for subtler varieties. The variety is tracked under catalog references UVC-2844 and DMR-060 and was struck on the Philadelphia Mint proof production line, where each planchet was hand-fed into the press and struck with polished dies at elevated tonnage. The medium-spread classification suggests a somewhat larger angular or linear displacement of the working hub during die production than the light spreads documented for neighboring DDO entries, resulting in a secondary image that stands further from the primary design and is correspondingly easier to resolve. On the mirror-finish proof surface, this degree of separation produces a particularly clean doubled image on the tall vertical strokes of the 1 and the looped curves of the 9, 6, and 2, offering multiple confirmation points within the compact date area.

Die Markers

• UVC-2844; DMR-060

External References