1997 Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-037

Description

Showing a distinctive bar extending from the bottom of the foot to the middle of the base to the right of the statue on the seventh column of the Lincoln Memorial, this 1997 Philadelphia Mint doubled die reverse produces a visible anomaly within the architectural detail of Frank Gasparro's reverse design. The bar-like extension represents doubled die spread that manifests as an extra line of raised metal connecting the statue base to the column area — a presentation of doubling that mimics a structural element rather than the typical spread or shelf seen on lettering. Attributed by the Wexler Team under Wexler Variety ID 1997 1c WDDR-037, the variety also features die cracks and die chips as supplementary identification markers. The 1997 Lincoln Memorial Cent was struck in copper-plated zinc composition (97.5% zinc core with pure copper plating), the standard since the mid-1982 transition. Thirty-seven documented doubled die reverses for the 1997-P date indicates intensive research on a modern date, where high-volume production generates many die pairs and careful examination continues to uncover new varieties.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Steve Young Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1997 1¢ WDDR-037
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References