1963 Proof Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-060

Description

Near the top of the current proof-specific DDO catalog for the 1963 Lincoln Memorial Cent, WDDO-060 sits in the rarefied territory where each new entry extends the documented census into previously unexplored portions of the die population. The sixtieth proof DDO variety for a single date is a remarkable figure that reflects how thoroughly modern attributors have examined the surviving 1963 proof cent population, aided by advances in digital photography and online submission platforms that have made it easier than ever for collectors to share potential discoveries with expert attributors. The Wexler Team has been at the forefront of this cataloging effort, and WDDO-060 carries their attribution within the Wexler Doubled Die Files. The doubled image on this die was created during the multi-impression hubbing process at the Philadelphia Mint, where a fractional displacement of the working hub between impressions embedded a secondary obverse design alongside the primary image. Proof dies received chrome plating and polishing after hubbing, but these finishing steps preserved the doubling intact. Individual proof die pairs lasted approximately 3,000 impressions before retirement, limiting the population of this variety to a small fraction of the 3,075,645 proof Lincoln cents produced in 1963. Collectors examining proof cents from this date should use magnification with controlled lighting, checking the obverse legends, date, and portrait contours for evidence of a secondary image. The coin was struck on a 95% copper and 5% zinc planchet and bears the standard Brenner-Gasparro design.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Wexler Team

External References