"Knowledge Through Education"

2006 Doubled Die Lincoln Cent
Second Strong Variety Found!
by Ken Potter - NLG
Photos by Ken Potter © Ken Potter 2007

    March 09, 2007 -- Dennis White of Louisville, Kentucky sent in the beautiful 2006 Doubled Die Obverse Lincoln cent shown below.  It is the second strong variety for the date/denomination reported in the last few months!  While many other doubled dies have been listed for the obverse of the 2006 cent by various listing services, all were minor until a doubled die obverse boasting a widely separated Doubled Earlobe was reported by Wendell Carper in January of this year.  That variety can be viewed here: 2006 Doubled Ear Found.
    This newer variety featured here is of a more classic appearance with doubling showing best on the date, LIBERTY and IN GOD WE TRUST shifted predominantly to the north.  Doubling can also be seen in other areas within the portrait, most notably on the curls of hair to the southeast of the E of WE, on the bowtie and as a very light separation line along the ear.  Lesser doubling shows in other areas.
    While not as crisp and strong as the major 1995 doubled die obverse cent that some have compared it to, it is about as strong in many places as the 1972 Doubled Die Obverse #3, which isn't too shabby at all!
    The variety was first reported by Robert "Murphy" Tingle of  New Albany, Indiana who first broke the news on the PCGS Message Boards several weeks ago.  He is also credited with reporting the first doubled die obverse  listed by CONECA for this date and denomination that exhibited a minor spread on portions of LIBERTY showing as notches on the upper left serifs along with some extra thickness in Lincoln's beard.  CONECA's 20th Century Variety Attributer, James Wiles, has not yet examined an example of the variety but will be doing so shortly.  We will report on his findings when they come in.

Doubling of curls in hair below E or WE

Doubling of the ear

An arrow points to a die chip in the hair found on this stage of the variety

Here we see some elongation of the the VDB (as can be seen on some areas of the doubling too)
 suggesting that the die/hub may have tilted to cause an off set.

Opinions expressed in articles or other features posted on the CONECA web site do not necessarily represent official CONECA policy or those of it's officers.  The act of submitting material shall constitute an expressed warranty by the contributor that the material is original; if not, the source and permission must be provided.

Free counters provided by Andale.