1971-D Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-001

Description

Premier doubled die obverse for the 1971-D Lincoln Memorial cent, WDDO-001 presents a Class I clockwise spread affecting LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, and the date — the three primary obverse inscription zones that serve as the most diagnostic areas for doubled die attribution on Lincoln cents. Class I doubling results from a rotational misalignment between hub impressions during die manufacture: the working die received at least two impressions from the hub, with the second impression rotated slightly clockwise relative to the first, producing separation that increases with distance from the pivot point. This rotational geometry means the doubling is strongest at the periphery of the design — precisely where LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, and the date are positioned — while the central portrait area near the pivot point shows minimal or no visible separation. Cross-referenced as CONECA 1-O-I and Coppercoins 1971D-1DO-001, this variety benefits from documentation across multiple attribution systems that have independently confirmed its Class I clockwise classification. A die crack running across the bust base above the VDB designer's initials provides a secondary attribution marker independent of the doubling, anchoring this variety to its specific obverse die even on specimens where the doubled die evidence may be partially obscured by wear. The 1971-D date, while overshadowed in popular awareness by the famous 1971 Philadelphia DDO-001 — one of the most recognized Lincoln Memorial doubled dies — produced its own noteworthy doubled die varieties that reward collectors who look beyond the headline date to examine Denver's parallel production output.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Richard Imburgia Cross References: CONECA: 1-O-I, Coppercoins: 1971D-1DO-001
• CONECA: 1-O-I, Coppercoins: 1971D-1DO-001; Wexler Variety ID: 1971-D 1¢ WDDO-001
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References