The 1955 Lincoln Doubled Die Cent is an extremely popular coin among collectors who seek the strike to add to their collections despite it routinely selling for thousands of dollars. These strikes were produced by the US Mint through an error in the coin production process resulting in a doubling of the features on the obverse.

It is believed that while dyes were being created for the 1955 cents coins, one of those dies became misaligned as it was receiving an impression from the master hub. This resulted in that dye having a doubled effect on its features which were then transferred to some of the cent coins (also known as pennies) as they were being struck.

US Mint workers noticed the error and replaced the die, but only after an estimated 20,000 to 40,000 of the coins had already been produced. Since officials at the Mint felt it was unnecessary to identify and remove those error coins they were allowed to go out into circulation. Once initially identified in public, the doubled die cent coins became highly sought after by both seasoned numismatists as well as those new to the hobby.

Those looking to verify their strike will find that the doubling effect is most noticeable by the inscriptions on the obverse of the coin. However, owing to the relative rarity and high value of the strikes, it is not uncommon for fakes to be found as well as less-valuable less noticeable strikes with minor doubling.

Both the obverse and reverse of the 1955 Lincoln Double Die Cent continue to show the designs first featured on the coin in 1909. This includes an obverse portrait of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, and a reverse showing two heads of wheat flanking the inscriptions of ONE CENT and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

These designs were both the original work of artist Victor David Brenner which proved to be popular with the public since their day of introduction. In fact, the obverse portrait of Lincoln is still in use on the cent coin today.