1996 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-003

Description

Attributed by the Wexler Team as 1996 1¢ WDDO-003 and cross-referenced by both CONECA as 2-O-V and Crawford as CDDO-002, this doubled die obverse was discovered on a 1996 Lincoln Memorial cent from the Philadelphia Mint. The primary diagnostic is a counterclockwise spread from a pivot at approximately 12:00, showing on LIBERTY, IN GOD, the lower front of the bust, and the date — a wide spread pattern affecting multiple design zones. Obverse die markers include a small die gouge to the right of the lower G in GOD and die gouges below the second nine in the date. The reverse carries two strong parallel die scratches running NNE/SSW through the lower right Memorial base and into the field above the T in CENT. The triple cross-referencing across CONECA, Crawford, and Wexler systems — three independent variety cataloging organizations — indicates this is a well-documented and widely recognized variety. The 1996 cent was struck in copper-plated zinc composition at 2.5 grams and 19 mm. The WDDO-003 designation makes this the third cataloged doubled die obverse for the 1996 Philadelphia cent, while the CONECA Class V (pivot) classification and CDDO-002 Crawford designation provide alternative cataloging pathways. Pivot-style doubling, where design elements rotate around a fixed point, creates a distinctive pattern where the spread increases with distance from the pivot — elements near the 12:00 pivot show little or no displacement, while elements further away (like the date at 7:00 or LIBERTY across the top) show progressively greater spread.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Billy G. Crawford Cross References: CONECA: 2-O-V, Crawford: CDDO-002
• CONECA: 2-O-V, Crawford: CDDO-002; Wexler Variety ID: 1996 1¢ WDDO-003
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References