1997 Doubled Die Reverse DDR-004

Description

Cataloged by VarietyVista as DDR-004 with the Universal Variety Code UVC-3100 and Die Marker Record DMR-007, this doubled die reverse variety appears on a 1997 Lincoln Memorial cent struck at the Philadelphia Mint. The 1997 cent is composed of copper-plated zinc, weighing 2.5 grams with a 19 mm diameter. The primary doubling diagnostic on DDR-004 presents as a medium spread to the southwest, manifesting as an extra column number 7 (visible in the knee to shin area) and an extra set of knees visible between the normally positioned knees of the seated Lincoln statue inside the Memorial. The interior statue detail on the Lincoln Memorial cent reverse is among the finest engraving on any regular-issue U.S. coin, and the seated Lincoln figure provides multiple reference points where hub doubling creates detectable shadow elements. Multiple die stages have been documented: Stage A shows the reverse in early die state with a die gouge dot appearing over the Y of LIBERTY in mid die state, Stage B is mid die state (unconfirmed), and Stage C is late die state (unconfirmed). The die gouge dot over the Y of LIBERTY at Stage A provides an obverse die marker that transitions into the mid die state classification, helping collectors determine the die state of individual specimens. Philadelphia produced over 4.6 billion cents in 1997, and the VarietyVista documentation system with its UVC and DMR codes provides structured tracking of varieties across this massive production volume. The column and statue-area doubling on DDR-004 makes it one of the more interesting Memorial interior doubled die varieties for this date.

Die Markers

• UVC-3100
• DMR-007
• Stage A:
• Reverse is EDS
• Die gouge dot over Y of LIBERTY – MDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by James Wiles
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References