WDDO-001 Doubled Die Obverse

Description

Cataloged by John A. Wexler, this 1873 Liberty Head Double Eagle Open 3 variety exhibits hub doubling on the obverse design elements, a production anomaly created when misalignment between hub impressions during die manufacture transferred duplicated imagery onto the working die. Die markers on the obverse include an Open 3 date variant, a die gouge in the hair north of B in LIBERTY, three parallel diagonal die scratches inside the lowest curl of hair, and a thin die crack between the lower 7 and 3. Reverse markers show a die scratch from the lower right A of STATES running NNE to the rim. Cross-referenced as Reverse is WDDR-001. Struck in 90% gold and 10% copper at 33.44 grams and 34 mm diameter, the $20 Double Eagle was the largest regular-issue gold denomination in United States coinage, making die varieties on this series particularly prized by gold specialists.

Die Markers

• Obverse: Open 3 variety. Die gouge in hair north of B in LIBERTY. 3 parallel diagonal die scratches inside lower-most curl of hair. Thin die crack between lower 7 and 3. Reverse: Die scratch from lower right A of STATES NNE to the rim.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Edward R. Mill
• Reverse is WDDR-001
• Expert attribution by John A. Wexler

External References