1962 Proof Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-007

Description

Displaying a compelling multi-class doubling profile, the 1962 Proof Lincoln Memorial Cent WDDO-007 combines a strong Class II spread directed toward the center on the date with Class VI extra thickness on LIBERTY and IN GOD WE TRUST — two mechanically distinct doubling signatures coexisting on a single die. Class II designates distorted hub doubling where the secondary impression was compressed relative to the primary, and the center-directed spread on the date pushes the secondary image inward, creating a thickening along the inner edges of the 1, 9, 6, and 2. Class VI denotes distended hub doubling, a displacement type that produces extra thickness without a clearly defined directional spread, manifesting as a general broadening or heaviness of the affected letters. The coexistence of these two classes suggests a complex hub displacement event — possibly a compound movement involving both a translational shift and a pressure distortion — that projected different apparent effects depending on the position and geometry of each design element. The reverse of this variety is documented as a doubled die listed in the Wexler Doubled Die Files, though the specific WDDR number is not available in the current records. This dual-sided attribution adds considerable interest, as the pairing of two independently doubled dies in the Philadelphia Mint's proof press room represents a low-probability event. Obverse die markers include several vertical die scratches on the front of Lincoln's neck. The proof striking process, with its elevated pressure and mirror-finish planchets, renders the multi-class doubling in exceptional detail, and the limited die life of approximately 3,000 strikes per proof die constrains the surviving population. This variety was struck as part of the 1962 proof production of 3,218,019 sets.

Die Markers

• Obverse: Several vertical die scratches can be found on the front of the neck. Reverse: The reverse is a doubled die listed in the Wexler Doubled Die Files as

Attribution History

• Discovered by Wexler Team

External References