2012 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-010

Description

Strong extra thickness characterizes the letters of LIBERTY on this 2012 Lincoln Shield cent DDO, making WDDO-010 one of the more visually satisfying doubled dies within the Shield cent subseries. Die attribution relies on a constellation of specific markers: on the obverse, a small die gouge appears as a dot to the right of the second T in TRUST, while a die scratch runs southward from the bottom left of the R in LIBERTY. The reverse carries its own identifying features, including a die crack extending along the top left side of the shield and a die chip sitting atop the shield north of the P in PLURIBUS. These markers collectively fingerprint the specific die pair and distinguish WDDO-010 from the other nine DDO varieties cataloged for the 2012 date by the Wexler Team. The Lincoln Shield cent design, introduced in 2010 to replace the bicentennial reverses of 2009, features a union shield that provides numerous fine lines and architectural details where hub doubling can manifest. Because Philadelphia struck over 3.1 billion cents in 2012, raw examples surface periodically in circulation finds, though awareness of this variety remains limited among the general collecting public. Examination under 10x loupe reveals the extra thickness best on the vertical strokes of L, I, and B in LIBERTY, where the secondary hubbing impression adds perceptible width to each letter.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Stephen Young Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 2012 1¢ WDDO-010
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References