1997 Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-041

Description

Cataloged by the Wexler Team as 1997 1¢ WDDR-041, this Lincoln Memorial Cent displays a distinctive bar extending from the middle of the leg down to the foot, positioned to the right of the seated Lincoln statue on the seventh column of the Lincoln Memorial — a localized doubling feature that manifests as an extra vertical element within the Memorial's detailed colonnade interior. The bar-like appearance results from the doubled image of the statue's leg and adjacent column area creating a continuous linear feature where the primary and secondary hub impressions overlap. Obverse die markers include a die chip between the upper E of WE and the T of TRUST. Reverse markers include a die chip to the right of the center of the right upright of the N in CENT and additional die chips that aid in confirming this specific die pairing. The Lincoln Memorial reverse, designed by Frank Gasparro and introduced in 1959, renders the Memorial's architectural detail including the colonnade, steps, and the small seated Lincoln statue visible between the central columns — a design whose intricate scale makes it particularly productive for generating visually interesting doubled die varieties, as the many fine lines and small features within the building provide numerous surfaces that can show doubling effects. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 1997 in copper-plated zinc composition (97.5% zinc, 2.5% copper) weighing 2.50 grams with a 19.05 mm diameter, this cent represents the ongoing production of one of America's highest-volume denominations. The column-and-statue area of the Memorial reverse has yielded numerous cataloged doubled die varieties across multiple dates, as this intricate design zone is especially sensitive to hub displacement effects.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Steve Young Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1997 1¢ WDDR-041
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References