1998-S Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-001

Description

Attributed by the Wexler Team with the variety identifier 1998-S 1¢ Pr WDDR-001, this proof Lincoln Memorial cent carries hub doubling on its reverse die that originated during the die manufacturing process at the Philadelphia die shop, where all proof dies were prepared before being shipped to San Francisco for production. As a proof striking, this coin was produced on specially polished planchets using chrome-plated dies that received multiple impressions at reduced speed, yielding the deep mirror fields and frosted devices characteristic of modern U.S. proof coinage. The San Francisco Mint's proof cent production during the late 1990s ran into the tens of millions annually through proof set sales, yet specific doubled die varieties within that output represent individual die anomalies — a single working die that received a slightly misaligned second hubbing among the hundreds of dies manufactured each year. No cross-references to other attribution services have been established for this variety, meaning the Wexler designation currently stands as the sole catalog listing. Collectors examining proof cents for this DDR should focus on the reverse lettering and Memorial details under magnification, comparing the spread direction and intensity against the sharp, well-struck features that the proof process guarantees, which paradoxically makes minor hub doubling both easier to detect and easier to confuse with die deterioration doubling on heavily used dies.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Jon Rice Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1998-S 1¢ Pr WDDR-001
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References