1964 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-012

Description

Bearing a Wexler Team attribution that confirms its place in the recognized doubled die obverse catalog, the 1964 WDDO-012 was struck at the Philadelphia Mint during a year that produced 2,648,575,000 business strike Lincoln cents. The variety is cross-referenced under Wexler Variety ID: 1964 50¢ Pr WDDO-012. Doubled die obverse varieties arise when the hub — a hardened steel tool carrying the coin's design in positive relief — imparts two slightly misaligned impressions into a working die. The resulting doubled image is incused into the die and appears as raised doubling on every cent struck from it, making it a consistent, die-attributable feature rather than a random striking anomaly. In the context of 1964 production, the sheer number of working dies manufactured at the Philadelphia Mint created a statistical inevitability: with each hubbing event carrying a small probability of misalignment, and thousands of dies needed to strike over 2.6 billion cents, dozens of doubled die varieties entered circulation. Variety specialists identify individual WDDO numbers by the specific direction, magnitude, and location of the doubling spread, which varies from die to die because each hubbing event is unique. Though no die markers have been documented for WDDO-012, the Wexler Team verification provides collectors with confidence in the variety's authenticity. Examination under magnification of at least 5x is recommended, focusing on LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, and the date digits. Struck on a 95% copper, 5% tin-zinc planchet weighing 3.11 grams at 19mm diameter.

Attribution History

• Wexler Variety ID: 1964 50¢ Pr WDDO-012
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References