1967 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-002

Description

The regular business strike variant of WDDO-002, this is the second cataloged Wexler doubled die obverse for the 1967 Lincoln cent and was struck from the enormous Philadelphia Mint production of 3,048,667,100 business strike cents — the highest single-year cent output of the entire no-mint-mark era. The 1967 date marked the final year without mint marks on U.S. coins, as the Coinage Act of 1965's three-year mandate expired at year's end and mint marks were restored to all denominations beginning in 1968. This variety carries an extensive set of die markers across both surfaces that provide multiple confirmation points for attribution. On the obverse, a short horizontal die gouge appears below the B in LIBERTY, and a die gouge can be found to the right of the vest south of the 9 in the date. On the reverse, a short vertical die scratch is positioned to the right of the upper I in AMERICA. These markers distinguish the regular strike version from the SMS version of the same doubled die variety (also cataloged as WDDO-002), as the two coins were struck from different die pairs that happen to share the same hub-stage doubling. The regular strike and SMS variants may exhibit slightly different presentations of the doubling due to the different striking pressures employed — the lower pressure of business strike production can produce a subtler appearance compared to the sharper rendering on SMS coins. Struck on a 3.11-gram, 19mm planchet of 95% copper and 5% zinc.

Die Markers

• Obverse: A short, horizontal die gouge can be found below the B in LIBERTY. A die gouge can be found to the right of the vest south of the 9 in the date. Reverse: A short vertical die scratch can be found to the right of the upper I in AMERICA.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Wexler Team

External References