1970-S Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-025

Description

Representing WDDO-025 within the Large Date classification of the 1970-S Lincoln Memorial cent, this entry documents the same Class I counterclockwise doubled die as its Small Date counterpart — with spread visible on IN GOD WE TRUST, LIBERTY, and the date — but in the context of the Large Date parent type where the 7 in the date rises prominently above the other numerals. The counterclockwise rotational displacement affects all obverse design elements, and on the Large Date variety, the taller 7 provides a particularly useful diagnostic area because its greater height amplifies the visible separation between primary and secondary images. The two-stage obverse and two-stage reverse document the die's production arc, with detailed die scratches serving as critical attribution markers. These scratches — unique to this specific die — create raised linear features on struck coins that cannot be replicated by another die, making them more reliable for attribution than the doubling pattern alone (since multiple dies can carry similar doubling from the same hubbing session). The Large Date 1970-S cent was produced in substantially greater numbers than the Small Date, which affects the relative availability of specimens but not the variety's significance. Collectors who have located this variety in one date classification may seek it in both, as the paired entries represent the same die variety documented across two parent types. The Class I counterclockwise spread across three design zones makes WDDO-025 one of the more broadly expressed doubled dies in this section of the catalog, with evidence visible across a wider area than varieties concentrated on a single design element.

Attribution History

• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1970-S 1¢ WDDO-025
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References