1963 Proof Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-038

Description

Proof doubled die obverse varieties from the 1963 Lincoln Memorial Cent continue to surface as collectors examine their proof sets with increasingly sophisticated equipment, and WDDO-038 is a product of this ongoing discovery process. The Wexler catalog for the 1963 P-mint cent now encompasses more than seventy-five DDO entries across both proof and business-strike categories, a number that testifies to both the enormous die consumption of the Philadelphia Mint during this period and the dedication of the attributors who have systematically documented each distinct die. As a proof-specific variety, WDDO-038 was struck from dies that underwent the full proof preparation protocol: chrome plating for mirror surfaces, selective sandblasting for device frosting, and hand polishing to achieve the reflective field quality that defines proof coinage. The hubbing anomaly responsible for the doubled image was already present in the die before these finishing steps commenced, permanently embedded during the multi-impression design transfer process. With 3,075,645 proof cents produced in 1963 and individual die pairs serving approximately 3,000 strikes, each proof DDO variety was transmitted to a limited population of coins. The coin was struck on a 95% copper and 5% zinc planchet and carries Victor David Brenner's portrait of Lincoln on the obverse and Frank Gasparro's Memorial on the reverse. Collectors should examine the obverse under magnification, comparing doubling characteristics and any die markers against published reference materials for positive identification.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Wexler Team

External References