1963 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-041

Description

Designated as Wexler Variety ID 1963 1c Pr WDDO-041, this proof doubled die obverse of the 1963 Lincoln Memorial Cent was attributed by the Wexler Team and represents another discovery within the proof die population for this high-production year. The Philadelphia Mint's proof coinage operation in 1963 produced 3,075,645 Lincoln cents using specially prepared dies that were chrome plated and polished to generate mirror fields and frosted devices, with each die pair typically serving approximately 3,000 strikes before being replaced. This careful production protocol means that a doubled die proof variety exists on a limited number of coins relative to the total proof output, and surviving examples in choice condition can command a premium among Lincoln cent specialists. The doubling on WDDO-041 was created during the hubbing process, when the working hub was not precisely re-seated between successive impressions into the die blank, leaving a secondary image permanently engraved in the die steel. Unlike machine doubling, which produces flat, shelf-like displacement on individual coins during the striking process, true hub doubling on a proof die manifests as a sharp secondary contour that appears identically on every coin struck from that die. The 1963 date holds particular interest for proof collectors because it was the last year of uninterrupted proof set production before the coin shortage era of 1965-67, during which the United States Mint suspended all proof coinage. Collectors should examine the obverse legends, date, and portrait details under magnification to locate the doubled elements.

Attribution History

• Wexler Variety ID: 1963 1¢ Pr WDDO-041
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References