1913 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-001

Description

Cataloged as FS-1101 in the Fivaz-Stanton Cherry Pickers' Guide, the 1913 Buffalo nickel DDO-001 ranks among the most dramatic doubled die obverses in the entire Type I Buffalo nickel subseries. Strong extra thickness presents on both the date and LIBERTY, with the doubling visible to the naked eye on well-preserved specimens. VarietyVista tracks this die pair under UVC-005 with die markers reference DMR-005, documenting a three-stage die progression. Stage A represents an unconfirmed early die state. Stage B exhibits die clash marks below the chin and through the letters of E PLURIBUS UNUM, both at mid-die-state. By Stage C, the clash marks below the chin have worn away, confirming late die state, while the reverse also shows LDS characteristics. The reverse die is identified as RDV-002, the plain ground variety without the mound beneath the bison. James Earle Fraser's iconic design debuted in 1913 with two distinct types: the Type I raised-mound reverse produced early in the year, and the Type II recessed-ground reverse introduced after the mound caused stacking and wear problems. This DDO-001 die pair belongs to the Type II production run. Authenticated examples in VF or better command meaningful premiums over normal 1913 Type II nickels, particularly when the die stage can be conclusively identified through the presence or absence of the documented clash marks.

Die Markers

• UVC-005
• DMR-005
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Die clash marks below chin – MDS
• Die clash marks through E PLURIBUS UNUM – MDS
• Stage C:
• Die clash marks below chin are worn away – LDS
• Reverse is LDS

Attribution History

• Discovered by Bill Fivaz
• FS-1101
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References