And you don’t need a microscope to see them!
Doubled dies are valuable because you can usually readily see the spread without a coin microscope. The naked eye or loupe is all you need.
You can easily go down the rabbit hole checking Wexler or Variety Vista, both of which are dedicated to die markers and varieties, along with hub doubling. There are just too many entries with obtuse markers for the beginning collector. Focus on these first so you can see what hub doubling actually looks like.
1955 Lincoln Cent (DDO-001): Top doubled die. The spread is obvious.
1958 Lincoln Cent (DDO-001): Only three known examples have been found. The spread is dramatic.
1969-S Lincoln Cent (DDO-001): Highly valuable ultra rarity with a huge spread
1972 Lincoln Cent (DDO-001):Another famous modern cent variety with a huge spread. NOTE: Go to the link to see other 1972 doubled dies. You might need a microscope to see them.
1983 Lincoln Cent (DDR-001): A huge Doubled Die Reverse on “ONE CENT” and “E PLURIBUS UNUM.”
1984 Lincoln Cent “Doubled Ear” (DDO-001): Another easily seen doubled die showing a distinct, secondary earlobe stamped directly below Lincoln’s normal ear.
1995 Lincoln Cent (DDO-001): A popular modern find heavily distributed into regular circulation with easily seen doubling on “LIBERTY.”
1909 VDB Lincoln Cent (DDO-001): The first year of the Lincoln cent with doubling on the date and obverse text.
1917 Lincoln Cent (DDO-001): This cent features very strong, distinctive doubling on the date and the motto.
1936 Lincoln Cent (DDO-001): Philadelphia produced three separate DDOs this year, but Type 1 is famous for its wide, bold spread on the date and legends.
1970-S Lincoln Cent “Large Date” (DDO-001): A rare San Francisco variety with strong doubling on the mottoes and date.
1916 Buffalo Nickel (DDO-001): Heavily doubled and easy to see, one of the most coveted.
1939 Jefferson Nickel (DDR-001): This rarity features easily seen doubling on “MONTICELLO” and “FIVE CENTS.”
1934 Washington Quarter (DDO-001): Features prominent doubling on the motto “IN GOD WE TRUST.”
1937 Washington Quarter (DDO-001): Similar to the 1934 variety, displaying heavy doubling across the obverse lettering.
1942-D Washington Quarter (DD)-001): Another easily seen with the naked eye or a loupe.
1943 Washington Quarter (DDO-001): A dramatic wartime variety with easily seen doubling on the date and liberty devices.
1943-S Washington Quarter (DDO-001): Another easily seen doubled die on obverse mottos.
NOTE: There are many VAM-related Morgan dollar doubled dies, several with easily seen varieties. Here are two of the most pronounced.
1888-O VAM 4 “Hot Lips”): A double lip easily seen with the naked eye.
1901 VAM 3 “Shifted Eagle”: The “shift” in the eagle is concerns doubling below the tail feathers.
There are only a scant few valuable doubled dies that require a coin microscope. I’ll include one. Minor, not very valuable:
1997 1C FS-101, Doubled Ear: The earlobe is tiny and needs magnification.
Veteran hobbyists forget that beginning collectors typically do not know VAMs for Morgan and Peace dollars and also for minor doubled dies–Wexler and Variety Vista is full of them.
Wexler has 8 different classes! You have to like carrots to go down these bunny holes.
Variety Vista is no better.
Veteran hobbyists, especially on Facebook and social media, should remember that beginners do not know how to navigate those rabbit holds and think everything is a valuable doubled die. Few beginners and even long-time hobbyists may not know VAMs, obscure types of doubled dies (Classes I-IX), and common mint errors.
Keep it simple, as this article does.
If you are a collector of varieties and doubled dies, be sure to see our directory that features denominations that carry unique PCGS numbers. Articles there, too.
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