1970-S Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-015

Description

Fifteenth in the Wexler doubled die obverse catalog for the 1970-S Lincoln Memorial cent, WDDO-015 appears here on the Small Date variety — one of two parent types produced at the San Francisco Mint that year, distinguished by the height of the date numerals relative to the rim and the shape of the 9's loop. The Small Date variant uses a date punch where the tops of the 1, 9, 7, and 0 align at a uniform height, with the 9 featuring a more rounded upper loop, contrasting with the Large Date's taller 7 that extends above the other numerals. No cross-references to CONECA, Crawford, or Coppercoins have been established for this variety, placing the attribution documentation solely within the Wexler system. The 1970-S date occupies a pivotal position in Lincoln cent variety collecting — it is the year that produced the most celebrated doubled die in the Small Date series, and the sheer volume of doubled die obverses cataloged from 1970-S working dies reflects the conditions at San Francisco during this production cycle. While WDDO-015 does not carry the dramatic spread of the more famous 1970-S varieties, it represents a genuine hub doubling event that left detectable evidence of misaligned hub impressions on the die's surface, visible under magnification on design elements where the two hubbing impressions failed to register precisely. Collectors building a comprehensive 1970-S doubled die set will find WDDO-015 among the more elusive entries due to its subtlety and the lack of cross-reference documentation that might aid in identification.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Frank Baumann Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1970-S 1¢ WDDO-015
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References