1996-D Doubled Die Obverse DDO-002

Description

Tracked through die markers UVC-2845 and DMR-003, DDO-002 on the 1996-D Lincoln Memorial Cent shows light spread on IN GOD WE TRUST above the date on Victor David Brenner's Lincoln portrait. The 1996-D was struck at the Denver Mint in the copper-plated zinc composition adopted in 1982 (97.5% zinc core, 2.5% copper plating) at 2.5 grams. The Lincoln Memorial reverse, designed by Frank Gasparro and introduced in 1959, was in its thirty-seventh year of production. Light spread on IN GOD WE TRUST manifests as subtle thickening or trace separation on the letter strokes, most visible on the vertical elements of I, D, and T. The motto occupies a small area above the date, and the fine lettering means even minor hub displacement can produce detectable effects. UVC-2845 and DMR-003 allow precise identification of the working die that created this variety. Collectors should use magnification of at least 5x with a low-angle light source to maximize visibility.

Die Markers

• UVC-2845; DMR-003

External References