1962 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-022
Error
Description
Documented with a detailed set of die markers across both obverse and reverse, the 1962 Lincoln Memorial Cent WDDO-022 provides variety specialists with a robust identification framework anchored by multiple distinctive die features. On the obverse, parallel die scratches extend northward from the top of the Y in LIBERTY, and a die scratch runs from southwest to northeast to the left of the I in IN — two markers that occupy well-separated areas of the inscription band and can be confirmed independently. Numerous additional north-south die scratches appear throughout the obverse, consistent with a die that experienced significant surface contact during production or maintenance. The reverse carries equally specific markers: a dot-like die gouge sits above the designer's initials (FG, for Frank Gasparro, who designed the Lincoln Memorial reverse introduced in 1959), and a die scratch extends eastward from the lower G of those initials. These reverse features are particularly useful because the designer's initials occupy a small, protected area of the reverse design that is less susceptible to wear than the larger inscription letters, meaning the markers tend to survive on circulated specimens that might otherwise have lost their finer obverse details. The doubling characteristics of WDDO-022 are documented primarily through these die markers and the template framework of the Wexler catalog, with the variety originating from the Philadelphia Mint's 1962 business-strike production. Collectors working through accumulations of 1962 cents can use the Y-of-LIBERTY parallel scratches and the FG-area gouge as efficient screening tools, checking these high-visibility markers before committing to the closer examination needed to confirm the specific doubling attributes.
Die Markers
- Obverse: Parallel die scratches run north from the top of the Y in LIBERTY. A die scratch runs SW/NE to the left of the I of IN. Numerous other die scratches run mostly N/S throughout the obverse. Reverse: A small die gouge (dot) can be found above the designer’s initials. A die scratch runs east from the lower G in the designer’s initials.
Attribution History
- Discovered by Wexler Team