1970-S Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-007

Description

Documented across an exceptional five obverse die stages and five reverse die stages, the 1970-S WDDO-007 under the Large Date parent offers one of the most thoroughly tracked die life histories in the entire Lincoln Memorial cent doubled die catalog. The doubling itself appears below the L in LIBERTY and above the 7 in the date, but the variety's primary significance lies in the comprehensive die progression record that captures the complete arc of a working die from initial use through terminal deterioration. The earliest documented stage presents the die in its freshest condition, with the doubling evidence at maximum clarity and the die surface free of secondary damage. As the die progressed through its middle stages, die clash marks developed — the telltale incuse impressions left when obverse and reverse dies strike each other without a planchet between them — adding a layer of diagnostic detail that helps attribute specimens to specific points in the die's production sequence. Later stages reveal heavy abrasion on the die surface, likely from Mint efforts to remove clash marks or other surface defects through mechanical polishing, which progressively altered the die's appearance and reduced the visibility of both the original doubling and earlier die markers. The terminal stage documents a die crack running through Lincoln's hair, signaling the fracture progression that typically precedes die retirement. Cross-referenced as CONECA 23-O-I and Coppercoins 1970S-1DO-006, this variety's ten-stage combined documentation (five obverse, five reverse) represents a research-quality record of how a doubled die's diagnostic characteristics evolve across its entire service life — from the pristine clarity of early strikes through clash damage, abrasion repair, and ultimately structural failure. The Large Date parent classification under ODV-025 positions this variety within the wider-spaced date digit framework, where the doubling above the 7 is set against the Large Date's characteristic numeral proportions. Die Markers: Obverse Stage A: A strong die gouge runs from WSW to ENE below the front of the bust. This die gouge is visible on all five stages of this variety. Numerous light die scratches run from SW to NE through and below IN GOD. Numerous light die scratches run from north to south to the right of the throat and bowtie. Obverse Stage B: The Stage A die scratches have been abraded away. Numerous die scratches run from SW to NE throughout the obverse. Two short, strong die scratches run NNE from the top of the E in LIBERTY. Several short die scratches run from SW to NE between the L and I in LIBERTY. Numerous other die scratches run mostly from north to south throughout the obverse. Obverse Stage D: The die has been heavily abraded removing the die clash marks and most Stage C die scratches. Long die scratches run SW from the N of IN and the G in GOD. Numerous die scratches run from NW to SE through the date. Numerous die scratches run from SW to NE to the right of the upper head. A small die gouge can be found south of the zero in the date. Reverse Stage A: Two short, vertical die gouges can be found to the left of the U in UNITED. A die gouge can be found above the left side of the 1st U in PLURIBUS. A horizontal die scratch runs through the steps on the right Memorial base. Numerous other die scratches can be found throughout the reverse. A die gouge runs NNE from the top right of the 2nd column to the Memorial ceiling. A short die scratch runs from SSW to NNE in the lower 2nd bay. Reverse Stage D: The die gouge from the top of the 2nd column is much weaker.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Delma K. Romines Cross References: CONECA: 23-O-I, Coppercoins: 1970S-1DO-006
• CONECA: 23-O-I, Coppercoins: 1970S-1DO-006; Wexler Variety ID: 1970-S 1¢ WDDO-007
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References