1963 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-059

Description

Displaying one of the more diagnostically appealing doubling indicators on Lincoln cents, the 1963 Lincoln Memorial Cent WDDO-059 features an extra eyelid visible just south of the main eyelid, produced by a fractional displacement of the working hub during die manufacture. The extra eyelid is among the most sought-after forms of DDO expression because the fine engraved lines defining the brow and eyelid area on Brenner's portrait are highly sensitive to even slight offset, creating a sharp secondary contour that can be detected relatively quickly under a loupe. Obverse die markers provide a robust attribution framework: three die scratches extend north from the R, T, and Y of LIBERTY, a die scratch connects the front curl of hair to the middle of Lincoln's forehead, and die scratches extend southwest from the O and D of GOD. Several vertical die scratches also run through the date. On the reverse, a strong die clash is visible in the third Memorial bay, two parallel die scratches run west-southwest from the left cornice through the left side of the N of UNITED to the rim, and numerous die scratches run north-northwest from the upper right roof of the Memorial. This extensive die marker network across both sides of the coin provides multiple independent attribution points. No additional cross-references beyond the Wexler designation are currently known, and the variety is cataloged under Wexler Variety ID 1963 1c WDDO-059. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint as part of the 754,110,000 business-strike production for 1963, the coin carries the standard 95% copper and 5% zinc composition. The die clash visible in the third Memorial bay indicates that the die pair came into contact without a planchet at some point during service, an event more common in high-speed business-strike production than in proof operations.

Attribution History

• Discovered by David Mulberry Cross References: None known.
• None known.; Wexler Variety ID: 1963 1¢ WDDO-059
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References