1913 Doubled Die Reverse DDR-002

Description

Exhibiting a medium spread on E PLU of PLURIBUS and the fur on the back of the bison's upper neck, DDR-002 is a doubled die reverse from the inaugural year of James Earle Fraser's iconic Buffalo Nickel. Cross-referenced as FS-802, this variety belongs to the RDV-001 reverse — the Bison on Mound design used exclusively in 1913 as the Type 1, before the bison was repositioned onto a recessed flat plane for the Type 2 later that year. The mound design placed the bison on a raised earth platform that proved impractical for stacking and wear, leading to its rapid replacement. Die markers cataloged under UVC-007 and DMR-007 document three die stages tracking the variety from early production through progressive die wear. The doubling on the E PLU letters and neck fur creates a secondary shadow visible under magnification, providing a clear diagnostic for attribution. Fraser's design — featuring a composite Native American portrait on the obverse and a bison modeled after Black Diamond from the Central Park Zoo on the reverse — represented a dramatic departure from the preceding Liberty Head Nickel and became one of the most celebrated designs in American coinage history.

Die Markers

• UVC-007
• DMR-007
• Stage A:
• Reverse and Obverse are EDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Wayne Carson
• FS-802
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References