Exceedingly Rare 1958 Doubled Die Obverse Lincoln Cent Offered at Stack’s Bowers March 2018 Baltimore Auction

1958 Doubled Die Obverse Lincoln Cent – One of Just Three Examples Known

By Ben Orooji, Numismatist & Cataloger – Stack’s Bowers ……
Stack’s Bowers Galleries is delighted to offer one of only three known examples of the 1958 Doubled Die Obverse FS-101 Lincoln cent in their Official Auction of the Whitman Coins & Collectibles Baltimore Expo this March. This dramatic doubled die is part of the ESM Collection of Lincoln Cents, the #1 PCGS Registry Set of Lincoln Cents with Major Varieties, the entirety of which is being sold in the sale.

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This variety is hallmarked by a very boldly doubled LIBERTY and IN GOD WE TRUST on the obverse, as well as a lightly doubled date. It also exhibits a lovely satin finish and full rose luster throughout. The design features are nearly fully struck aside from light weakness at the base of Lincoln’s bust and the O of ONE on the reverse. Tied for second finest known with one other at the MS-64 Red level, with only a single example finer at MS-65 Red, the rarity of this variety cannot be overstated.

The existence of this variety was unknown until the early 1980s when ERRORAMA in Cherry Hill, New Jersey first alerted the numismatic community of its discovery. Over a decade later in 1996, David Lange would publish his book The Complete Guide to Lincoln Cents where he would confirm only a single example known. Now, 35 years after the initial discovery, we still have only three confirmed examples.

Lincoln cents enjoy a huge collector base, and thousands of collectors search rolls and their change for better dates and varieties. With such a robust collecting community it is remarkable that only three examples have been found to date, and it stands to reason that this is a variety whose rarity will stand the test of time. For registry set collectors and variety collectors, this sale offers a highly significant opportunity to secure a coin that will undoubtedly become a centerpiece of its new owner’s collection.

Interested bidders should also pay close attention to the other coins in the ESM Collection, including such incredible varieties and condition rarities as 1909-S/S FS-1502 MS-67 RD (PCGS); 1917 FS-101 DDO MS-65 RD (PCGS); 1922 No D FS-401 MS-64 RB (PCGS); 1943-D/D FS-501 MS-67 (PCGS); 1955 FS-101 DDO MS-65+ RD (PCGS); and 1969-S FS-101 DDO MS-64 RD (PCGS).

Contact Stack’s Bowers at 1-800-458-4646 or email [email protected] to secure your catalogs for this event, featuring rarities from the A.J. Vanderbilt Collection, the Joel R. Anderson Collection, the Dobbins Collection, the RSC Collection, the Sutton Court Collection, the ESM Collection, and many other significant cabinets. Also, download our mobile app to view and participate in our exciting auctions via your Android or Apple device. Or visit Stack’s Bowers Online to view the Sale