1970-S Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-001

Description

Opening the Wexler doubled die reverse catalog for the 1970-S Lincoln Memorial cent, WDDR-001 documents hub doubling on the reverse — the Lincoln Memorial side — of a proof Large Date die. While doubled die obverses receive most collector attention, doubled die reverses originate from the same phenomenon applied to the opposite face: a reverse hub impressing its design into a reverse working die at slightly different positions between successive impressions, embedding overlapping architectural details and inscriptions into the die steel. On WDDR-001, the doubling manifests as spread towards the center on Frank Gasparro's designer's initials FG and on ONE CENT — two areas where centripetal displacement produces thickened or shadowed lettering under moderate magnification. Light horizontal scratches in the fifth and seventh Memorial bays serve as die markers independent of the doubling, providing attribution confirmation through the building's architectural details. These bay scratches are particularly useful because horizontal lines within vertical bay openings are immediately conspicuous against the Memorial's predominantly columnar design.

Attribution History

• Discovered by James C. Moreland Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1970-S 1¢ Pr WDDR-001
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References