1996 Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-004

Description

Cataloged as the fourth doubled die reverse for the 1996 Philadelphia Lincoln Memorial Cent, WDDR-004 documents hub displacement on a denomination that generated extraordinary variety depth during the mid-1990s. Cross-referenced as Wexler 1996 1-cent WDDR-004, this variety emerged when copper-plated zinc cent production at Philadelphia reached peak volumes, cycling through hundreds of die pairs annually and creating abundant opportunities for hub doubling anomalies during die manufacture. The Memorial reverse, with its twelve columns, Lincoln statue within the central bay, and inscriptions E PLURIBUS UNUM, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, and ONE CENT, provides multiple diagnostic zones where subtle doubled die features can manifest — straight vertical columns amplify detection of lateral spread, while fine lettering serifs reveal directional shift. John Frank Wexler's systematic cataloging of Memorial cent doubled dies built one of numismatics' most comprehensive die variety databases, and each WDDR number represents a unique die that exhibited detectable hub displacement. Collectors examining 1996 cents benefit from this deep catalog framework.

Attribution History

• Discovered by David Curfman Cross References: None known Comments: This is a replacement listing. The original listing was a “wavy steps” variety and these are no longer believed to be doubled dies.
• s:; Wexler Variety ID: 1996 1¢ WDDR-004
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References