1966 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-003

Description

Designated as the third Wexler doubled die obverse for the 1966 Lincoln cent, WDDO-003 is a business strike variety from the Philadelphia Mint's production of 2,188,147,783 cents during the second year of the Coinage Act of 1965 era. The 1966 date continued the mint mark removal policy begun in 1965, meaning all business strike cents from both Philadelphia and any other facility that may have been producing cents carry no distinguishing mint mark. No significant die markers have been documented for this variety on either the obverse or reverse, which means attribution depends entirely on matching the specific doubled die pattern against published Wexler reference photographs. The absence of die markers places particular demands on the collector's examination technique: without secondary confirmation points like die scratches or gouges to narrow the identification, the doubling itself must be characterized with sufficient precision to distinguish WDDO-003 from the six other cataloged doubled die obverse varieties for the 1966 date. Collectors should photograph their candidate coins at high magnification from multiple angles and compare the direction, class, and magnitude of the spread systematically against reference images. The 1966 cent composition — 95% copper and 5% zinc, with tin eliminated the previous year — provided a consistent striking medium across the enormous production run. Cross-referenced as Wexler Variety ID: 1966 1¢ WDDO-003 and attributed by the Wexler Team. Hub doubling on business strike dies results from misalignment between successive hub impressions during die manufacture, and the thousands of dies consumed annually ensured a statistical population of doubled die varieties. Struck on a 3.11-gram, 19mm planchet of 95% copper and 5% zinc.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Tanner Scott Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1966 1¢ WDDO-003
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References