2005 Doubled Die Reverse DDR-027

Description

Among the final generation of Lincoln Memorial reverse doubled dies, this 2005 Philadelphia Mint cent DDR-027 shows medium spread to the east producing an extra column at the sixth position, extending from the knee of the Lincoln statue down to the pedestal — a shorter ghost column than many Memorial reverse varieties, suggesting a more modest hub displacement. A die chip on Lincoln's forehead in the early die state provides a distinctive secondary marker for attribution. Cataloged by VarietyVista as UVC-3178 and DMR-029, the variety has been documented in Stage A where the reverse is in early die state with the forehead die chip present. The 2005 cent was the penultimate year of normal Memorial cent production, with the series ending in 2008 before four Lincoln Bicentennial designs replaced it in 2009 and the Shield reverse followed in 2010. Memorial reverse enthusiasts regard late-date varieties like DDR-027 with particular interest because they represent the closing chapter of Frank Gasparro's iconic design, and the die chip adds a second collectible feature alongside the column doubling that makes each specimen identifiable at a glance.

Die Markers

• UVC-3178
• DMR-029
• Stage A:
• Reverse is EDS
• Die chip on forehead – EDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by James Wiles
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References