Wexler's Coins and Die Varieties

This page was last updated on April 15, 2012.

The purpose of this page is to provide you with some of the latest news about die varieties and error coins. Items on this page are not permanent postings. Check back often!

Two AU specimens of the major Lincoln cent doubled die listed as 1969-S 1¢ WDDO-001 (FS-101) sold at record prices for their grades. The specimens were sold in Ebay auctions conducted by coin dealer David Lawrence that ended on March 25, 2012.

A PCGS AU53 specimen brought a final price of $17,000 while a PCGS AU58 specimen realized a final price of $22,600. In the very same auctions a PCGS MS67RD specimen of 1972 1¢ WDDO-001 (FS-101) commanded a final selling price of $9,600.

In an earlier post we had reported that a PCGS AU58 specimen of the 1972 Lincoln cent doubled die variety listed as 1972 1¢ WDDO-004 (FS-104) sold in a Teletrade auction that ended on March 11, 2012 for $2,600 and that this price included a 15% buyer's fee. That report was in error as the quoted price did not include the 15% buyer's fee. With that fee the actual final selling price was $2,990. The corrected information was provided Roger Willingham who found the specimen that was sold in that Teletrade auction. (Posted April 15, 2012)

Arnold Margolis, probably known best as the editor and publisher of Error Trends Coin Magazine (ETCM), passed away on March 26, 2012 at the age of 86. With his passing the error/variety hobby has lost a true icon. Mr. Margolis is survived by his wife Joan, a son Barry, a daughter Amy, and four grandchildren.

Mr. Margolis is one of the true pioneers in the error/variety hobby. In the 1960's he helped organize a club that would become known as NECA (Numismatic Error Collectors of America) and served for a time as the president of that organization. He also served as publisher of the club's monthly publication The Errorscope. That club would eventually merge with "rival" club CONE (Collectors of Numismatic Errors) to become CONECA (Combined Organizations of Numismatic Error Collectors of America) which still serves the hobby to this day.

In 1968 Mr. Margolis began publishing Error Trends Coin Magazine, a monthly magazine devoted to error and variety coins. The magazine appeared without interruption until health issues brought publication to an end early in 2011. One of the main goals of the magazine was educating collectors on how the various errors and varietes occurred, something that I as an educator always appreciated.

Mr. Margolis worked as an exhibit judge for the ANA (American Numismatic Association) for many years. It was in that position that he was able to help influence the ANA to recognize error coins as a separate exhibit category.

Some of my fondest memories of Arnie, as he preferred his friends call him, came during the years that I was co-owner and editor of Error-Variety News magazine, also a monthly magzine devoted to errors and varieties. Rather than view my publication as a rival, he welcomed the publication and offered his support. When going to the same ANA Conventions during that period of time we shared a table which probably raised a lot of eyebrows among those that felt we should be enemies rather than friends.

Prior to retiring Arnie worked as a camerman and video engineer for the NBC television network, a position that had him travel throughout the country. As a result of these work experiences, Arnie always knew the best places to go to eat when we were at the ANA Conventions with him. His work related stories also provided great entertainment at those meals.

When I left the hobby in 1986 and returned in 1993, Arnie was one of the first to welcome me back encouraging me to return to writing and publishing. My 1996 booklet The Complete Guide to the 1995 Doubled Die Cent Varieties first appeared as a series in Error Trends Coin Magazine and was then issued as a successful booklet by Arnie. The same was true for the original The Best of the Jefferson Nickel Doubled Die Varieties which was published by ETCM in 1998.

Arnie authored several books that are standards in the hobby. These would include four editions of The Error Coin Encyclopedia, as well as The Error Coin Primer, Mint Errors on Carson City Dollars, The Error Collector's Handbook, and How Error Coins Are Made in the U.S. Mints. He also coauthored The Design Cud.

The hobby has lost a legend. Arnie Margolis will be missed. His work and influence will live on for a long, long time. My condolences go out to his family. Rest in peace Arnie!

Arnie Margolis at one of the ANA Conventions he enjoyed attending!

Thanks to Robert H. Knauss two new Standing Liberty quarter doubled die varieties have been added to the Wexler Doubled Die Files. These would include 1928-D 25¢ WDDR-001 and 1929-D 25¢ WDDR-001.

Because I have so few listings for this series (as do other attributers), I decided to add a page to this site that will illustrate all of the Standing Liberty quarter doubled dies listed in my files. This of course would include the two new listings noted above.

Collectors that feel they have Standing Liberty quarter doubled die varieties that are not illustrated on this page are encouraged to submit them for attribution and listing. I am also seeking a specimen of the 1918/7-S Standing Liberty quarter overdate variety (a Class III doubled die) in order to obtain photos of the doubling and significant die markers. If you can help, please contact me at jwex@comcast,net at your convenience.

To view the new page just click on the following link: Standing Liberty 25¢ Doubled Dies (Posted March 24, 2012)

A PCGS AU58 specimen of the 1972 Lincoln cent doubled die variety listed as 1972 1¢ WDDO-004 (FS-104) sold in a Teletrade auction that ended on March 11, 2012 for $2,600. This price included a 15% buyer's fee. Previously a PCGS AU58 specimen of this variety sold at a Teletrade auction for $2,100 on Sunday, March 20, 2011 so this latest auction sets a higher value for specimens in this grade.

In the very same Teletrade auction a PCGS AU53 BN specimen of the 1992-D Lincoln cent "Close AM Variety" listed as 1992-D 1¢ WTRD-001 (FS-901) sold for $3,300. Again this selling price included the 15% buyer's fee and helps to establish a value guide for specimens of this variety. (Posted March 12, 2012)

A very significant Lincoln Memorial cent doubled die reverse has been reported for the 1998-D cents by die variety collector Joseph Koelling. The variety has the potential to be considered a major doubled die variety and is very similar to 1991-D 1¢ WDDR-001, a Cherrypickers variety (FS-801) that was also discovered by Mr. Koelling.

A strong Class I CW spread can be found on the Memorial building. Doubling shows on the underside of the left side of the Memorial and above the right side of the Memorial. Extra columns can be found in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 9th, 10th, and 11th Memorial bays. The extra columns are slanted at an angle consistent with the CW rotation.

In all likelihood the hubbing was halted early in the hubbing sequence to correct a misalignment between the working hub and the die. In the process of correcting the misalignment, a Class I rotation occured.

This new doubled die is certain to get seasoned die variety collectors searching their 1998-D cents. The variety is listed in my files as 1998-D 1¢ WDDR-006 and it is also listed by Coppercoins as 1998D-1DR-003. It will be permanently illustrated among The Best of the Memorial Cent Doubled Dies. (Posted Feb. 5, 2012)

Thanks to Leonard Schulfer, the number of states with doubled dies on their State Quarters has climbed from 28 to 31. The three states added to the list with doubled die State Quarters are Kentucky, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.

All three of the new states are represented with new "doubled earlobe" varieties on the obverse of the quarters. Mr. Schulfer actually submitted five new "doubled earlobe" varieties, but two of them were for states that already had doubled die listings.

That brings the list down to just 19 more states needed with doubled dies to make it possible to complete a set of Statehood Quarters from all 50 states with doubled dies. To view the new listings just go to the New Listings page. (Posted January 3, 2012)

Information and photos for the 1924-S 1¢ WDDR-001 and 1925-S 1¢ WDDO-001 Lincoln cent doubled die varieties have been added to their respective doubled die pages. This is part of an on-going quest to illustrate all of the "Best Of" doubled die varieties listed in the Wexler Doubled Die Files here on this website.

We hope to accelerate progress on that goal as we move into 2012 and won't be able announce the new additions on this page each time that we make those additions. If you come to this website and see from the date on the Home Page that updates to the site have been made, but you don't see any new information on the New Listings page or the News page, then in all likelihood the updates involved adding information and/or photos to the "Best Of" doubled dies pages. (Posted December 24, 2011)

As we move into 2012 we will be making a format change to the pages devoted to the "Best Of" the doubled die varieties. Until now we were setting things up so that each best of variety would have its own page. However, as the number of doubled die varieties that qualify for "Best Of" status continues to grow, it is apparent that the current format will become unwieldy in terms of the number of pages needed.

The new format will place all of the "Best Of" varieties for a particular date, mint mark, and denomination on the same page. For example, we have identified four 1909 P-Mint Lincoln cent doubled die varieties as "Best Of" varieties for the Lincoln Wheat cent doubled dies. Previously we would have needed four different pages to illustrate those varieties, but under the new format all four varieties will be illustrated on the same page. To view that page, just click on the following link: 1909 1¢

As we move towards getting the information and photos of the various "Best Of" doubled dies onto this website the old format will disappear and the new one will take its place. We hope that you approve. (Posted December 23, 2011)

Specimens of of the newly listed 1988-D 1¢ WTRD-009 and WTRD-010 that were submitted to ANACS by die variety collector Joseph Koelling have come back from ANACS slabbed with an AU58 grade. WTRD-010 was first reported by Koelling and came back with the "Wexler Discovery Piece" designation on the slab. Mr. Koelling was kind enough to submit images of these slabs. (Posted October 24, 2011)

Collectors of 20th century dimes now have a focus point for searching their Mercury Dimes and their Roosevelt Dimes. Pages for The Best of the Mercury Dime Doubled Dies and also for The Best of the Roosevelt Dime Doubled Dies have been added to the double die listings featured on this website giving collectors an idea of where to look to find the "Best Of" the doubled dies in those series.

As collectors find more doubled dies in those series that qualify for the "Best Of" status, they will be added to the lists and hopefully they will also be illustrated on this website. (Posted September 24, 2011)

The 1972 Lincoln cent doubled die varieties continue to show up on my desk for attribution so I have just finished updating the site with the remainder of the 1972 1¢ doubled dies that are of most interest to collectors. These would be 1972 1¢ WDDO-001 through WDDO-010.

All but one of these varieties (WDDO-009) are Class I doubled dies. We have had pages illustrating WDDO-001 through WDDO-004, but now all ten of the varieties have their own page. Hopefully these pages will assist collectors with the identification of these popular varieties. (Posted September 20, 2011)