1962 Proof Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-004

Description

Filed as one of the lower-numbered proof doubled die obverse entries for the 1962 Lincoln Memorial Cent, Proof WDDO-004 carries the notable distinction of pairing its obverse doubling with a doubled die reverse that is listed in the Wexler Doubled Die Files, though the specific WDDR number is not available in the current records. This dual-sided attribution elevates the variety's numismatic significance, as coins struck from dies that both received misaligned hub impressions are inherently scarcer than single-sided doubled dies — the probability of two independently doubled dies being paired in the same press is considerably lower than for a single doubled die mated with a normal counterpart. The proof production process at the Philadelphia Mint, where each die was carefully installed and operated under elevated striking pressure to achieve the mirror-finish fields and frosted design elements characteristic of proof coinage, means that the pairing of these two specific dies was a deliberate operational decision within the proof press room. No significant obverse die markers have been documented for this variety. The limited die life of approximately 3,000 strikes per proof die further constrains the surviving population, meaning that every confirmed specimen represents a scarce intersection of two independent die-production anomalies preserved on a proof-quality planchet. Collectors examining this variety should inspect both sides carefully: the obverse for the documented doubling characteristics, and the reverse for any signs of hub displacement consistent with the listed but currently unspecified WDDR designation. This variety was struck as part of the 1962 proof production of 3,218,019 sets, the final proof Lincoln cent issue in the original 95% copper, 5% tin-and-zinc alloy composition that had been in continuous use since the denomination's inception in 1909.

Die Markers

• Obverse: None significant. Reverse: The reverse is a doubled die listed in the Wexler Doubled Die Files as

Attribution History

• Discovered by Wexler Team

External References