1962 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-018

Description

Carrying the Wexler Variety ID 1962 1¢ WDDO-018 with no additional cross-references currently known, this regular-strike Lincoln Memorial Cent doubled die obverse is among the more sparsely documented entries in the 1962 Wexler catalog. The existing attribution data confirms the presence of hub doubling on the obverse without specifying the affected design elements or the class and direction of the spread in detail, placing WDDO-018 in a category of varieties that awaits further specimen examination and documentation to flesh out its full diagnostic profile. This gap in the record is not uncommon for doubled dies in heavily populated series: the 1962 Lincoln cent, with its enormous Philadelphia mintage of over 606 million business strikes, has yielded dozens of DDO and WDDO varieties, and the sheer volume of discoveries sometimes outpaces the detailed study needed to characterize each one comprehensively. What is established is that WDDO-018 represents a distinct die, separate from the other entries in the Wexler catalog, and that its doubling derives from a misaligned hub impression during the die-making process at the Philadelphia Mint. The 1962 date holds particular significance as the final year the Lincoln cent was produced in the original 95% copper, 5% tin-and-zinc composition that Victor David Brenner's design had been struck in since 1909. Collectors who encounter a specimen they believe matches WDDO-018 should document the doubling location, class, die markers, and die state as thoroughly as possible, as such observations contribute directly to expanding the attribution record for this incompletely characterized variety.

Attribution History

• Discovered by John A. Wexler Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1962 1¢ WDDO-018
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References