1962 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-059

Description

Submitted by Daniel Griffin and sharing the distinctive secondary-eyelid diagnostic with several neighboring catalog entries, the 1962 Lincoln Memorial Cent WDDO-059 displays a doubled eyelid south of Lincoln's normal eyelid on a regular business-strike coin whose die marker profile is among the most extensive in the entire 1962 WDDO series. The eyelid doubling places the variety in the same anatomical category as WDDO-058 and WDDO-060, but the individual die's unique physical markers provide definitive separation from those siblings. Obverse die markers are remarkably detailed: multi-directional scratches run throughout the date area, horizontal scratches pass through the upper portion of WE, scratches appear around the T and R in TRUST, distinctive scratches sit above LIBERTY, and a curved die crack arcs above the VDB initials — a progressive feature that developed as the die fatigued during its production run. The reverse is equally well documented, with diagonal scratches running through the right side of E PLURIBUS UNUM, scratches above the right Memorial roof, scratches through the CA in AMERICA, scratches in the bays on either side of Lincoln's statue within the Memorial, scratches through ONE, and scratches through the C and E in CENT. This extraordinary concentration of die markers makes WDDO-059 one of the most readily fingerprinted varieties in the catalog. Notably, the die markers on WDDO-059 are nearly identical to those documented on WDDO-060, strongly suggesting that the two dies share a close production relationship — possibly sequential dies from the same working hub, or dies that experienced similar handling during their preparation. This variety was struck at the Philadelphia Mint during 1962 as part of the business-strike production exceeding 606 million cents, the final year of the original 95% copper alloy composition. An extra eyelid shows to the south of the normal eyelid.Die Markers: Obverse: Multi-directional die scratches show throughout the date area. Multi-directional die scratches show in the field to the right of Lincoln’s profile. Horizontal die scratches run through the upper letters in WE. Numerous die scratches show around the letters T and R in TRUST. Distinctive die scratches show in the field above LIBERTY. Reverse: Diagonal die scratches run through the right side of E PLURIBUS UNUM. A series of diagonal die scratches show above the right Memorial roof. Die scratches run through CA in AMERICA. Diagonal die scratches show in the bays on either side of Lincoln’s statue. Numerous horizontal and diagonal die scratches run through the letters in ONE. Diagonal die scratches run through the letters C and E in CENT.Submitted By: Daniel Griffin Cross References: None known

Attribution History

• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1962 1¢ WDDO-059
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References