2003 Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-006

Description

Sixth in the Wexler-documented reverse doubled die census for the 2003 Lincoln Memorial cent, WDDR-006 shows doubling on the seated Lincoln statue's left leg (viewer's right) along the lower right side — a localized diagnostic on one of the most detailed elements within Frank Gasparro's memorial interior. The Wexler Team identified two reverse die markers that provide confirmation points independent of the doubling: a die gouge to the left of the upper O in ONE, and a die gouge near the bottom of the eighth memorial bay (counting from the left). No significant obverse die markers were recorded. Philadelphia struck approximately 3.30 billion cents in 2003, continuing the massive production volumes that characterized early 2000s cent output and consumed enormous numbers of working dies. The statue's left leg diagnostic occupies a narrow zone within the memorial interior where the seated Lincoln figure is rendered at a very small scale — the entire figure fits within the central opening of the memorial building — making leg-specific doubling a diagnostic that demands focused magnification and careful positioning to detect. The lower right side of the leg suggests the secondary hub impression displaced slightly downward and to the right relative to the primary, creating a shadow or echo of the leg contour visible in that specific region. Cross-referenced as Wexler Variety ID 2003 1c WDDR-006, with no additional attribution system listings currently known. The two reverse die gouges — at the upper O of ONE and at the eighth bay — serve as essential preliminary identification markers, as the subtle leg doubling alone would be difficult to attribute confidently without first confirming the correct die. Collectors should locate both gouges under 10x magnification, then shift to 20x or higher to examine the seated figure's left leg for the displaced secondary impression along its lower right contour.

Attribution History

• Discovered by William Slaughter Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 2003 1¢ WDDR-006
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References