What it is
A Philadelphia doubled die famous for one detail: Lincoln appears to have a second earlobe below the first.
How to identify it
- Look below Lincoln's ear for a clear extra lobe.
- His beard and the lines of the chin may also show doubling.
- No mint mark: a Philadelphia coin.
A 5x to 10x loupe and good, angled light make the details much easier to see. For anything that looks genuine, a digital scale and a certified comparison coin help.
What gets mistaken for it
Damage or a die chip near the ear can mimic the extra lobe. On the real variety the extra ear is a smooth, raised duplicate of the ear's shape.
The regular 1984 coin
The variety appears on the 1984 Lincoln Memorial Cent, which had a total mintage of 8,151,079,000. That figure counts the whole issue, so it does not tell you how many coins show the variety.
How Lincoln got a second earlobe
In 1984 working dies were still made with more than one blow from the hub. On one Philadelphia obverse die the impressions did not line up, so the outline of Lincoln's ear was cut into the die twice, one slightly below the other. The result is an extra earlobe hanging below the normal one. The same misalignment doubled the beard and other parts of the portrait, but the ear is the detail everyone notices.
The lettering on this coin shows much less obvious doubling than on most famous doubled dies. That is why it is named for the ear rather than the motto or the date. It is also why people searching only for doubled letters often pass it by.
A step-by-step check
Use a 10x loupe and a bright light from the upper left. Find Lincoln's ear and look just below it, where the jaw meets the neck. On the genuine coin a second earlobe sits directly below the normal one, with the same rounded shape. Then follow the beard along the jaw and down to the chin. Doubling there confirms that the extra lobe came from the die.
Next, confirm the basics: no mint mark below the date, a normal Lincoln Memorial reverse and a weight of about 2.5 grams for a copper-plated zinc cent. A 1984-D cent is not this variety.
What else can look like an extra lobe
Zinc cents of this period often have plating blisters. A small blister just below the ear can look like a second lobe at a glance. Under magnification a blister is irregular and puffy and does not copy the ear's outline. A lump of corrosion or dirt can do the same and usually comes away with gentle examination.
Die deterioration doubling is another trap. A heavily worn die can leave thin, flat outlines around the portrait, but it never forms a complete second lobe. If the extra shape is flat or thread-like, it is not the variety.
Grading and eye appeal
Because the variety was found in circulation, many examples show wear on the cheek and jaw, which can soften the second lobe. Uncirculated coins with full red color show the ear most clearly and are the most desirable. Check for dark spots and plating problems before buying, as both are common on zinc cents of the 1980s.
Attribution numbers
The Doubled Ear is listed as FS-101 for 1984 in the Fivaz-Stanton system and both PCGS and NGC certify it. CONECA also lists it among the 1984 doubled dies. Ask for the variety to be named on the label when submitting, since an unattributed coin is graded as an ordinary 1984 cent.
How to search for the doubled ear
Searching rolls for the Doubled Ear is faster than for most varieties because you only need to look at one place. Sort out the 1984 cents with no mint mark, then check the area below the ear with a 5x loupe on each one. Put aside any coin that shows a clear second lobe for a closer look with the 10x loupe.
Keep a known normal 1984 cent beside you as a reference. Comparing the two makes the extra lobe easy to spot.
Related coins from the zinc era
The Doubled Ear belongs to a group of popular doubled dies from the copper-plated zinc era, alongside the 1983 doubled die reverse and the 1995 doubled die obverse. Collectors often assemble all three together because they can all be found by searching rolls.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if I have a 1984 Doubled Ear Lincoln Cent?
Look below Lincoln's ear for a clear extra lobe. His beard and the lines of the chin may also show doubling. If your coin passes these checks, have it authenticated by PCGS or NGC before buying or selling.
Is the 1984 Doubled Ear Lincoln Cent valuable?
Genuine examples sell for a premium over regular coins of the same date. The amount depends on how strong the variety is, the coin's condition and whether it is certified. Compare recent sold auction results for certified coins in the same grade.
What is a doubled die obverse?
A doubled die is a die that received two slightly misaligned impressions from the hub when it was made. Every coin struck from that die shows the same doubled lettering or design. Read more about doubled dies.
Where is the doubled ear on a 1984 penny?
Look directly below Lincoln's ear on the obverse. The genuine variety shows a raised second earlobe, with doubling in the beard below it.
Is the 1984 doubled ear found on Denver cents?
No. The famous Doubled Ear is a Philadelphia cent with no mint mark.
Why is it called the doubled ear?
Because the doubling is most obvious on Lincoln's ear, which appears to have two lobes. The lettering shows much less doubling.