1918-D Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-001

Description

Attributed by the Wexler Team as 1918-D 5¢ WDDO-001, this doubled die obverse variety appears on a 1918-D Buffalo nickel struck at the Denver Mint. The Buffalo nickel, designed by James Earle Fraser and produced from 1913 through 1938, is composed of 75% copper and 25% nickel, weighing 5.0 grams with a 21.2 mm diameter. Denver struck 8,362,000 Buffalo nickels in 1918, a moderate mintage produced during World War I when the nation's resources were increasingly directed toward the war effort. The doubling on WDDO-001 is classified as Class III (design hub doubling), where the design elements show displacement resulting from the hub being re-entered into the die at a slightly different angle or position during the multi-squeeze hubbing process. Cross-referenced as CONECA 1-O-III and listed in the Cherrypickers guide as FS-05-1918D-101 with a designation of 016.5, this variety has achieved mainstream recognition beyond the specialist doubled die community. The Cherrypickers FS number indicates this is considered a significant variety worthy of a premium above the base coin value, and its inclusion in the widely used Cherrypickers guide means it is actively sought by a broad audience of error and variety collectors. Fraser's Buffalo nickel obverse features a composite Native American portrait based on three models — Iron Tail, Two Moons, and John Big Tree — and the intricate feathered headdress, braided hair, and facial detail provide numerous reference points where Class III doubling becomes visible under magnification. The 1918-D is already a better date in the Buffalo nickel series due to its moderate mintage, and the existence of this significant doubled die variety adds another dimension of collectibility. The WDDO-001 designation as the first cataloged doubled die obverse for this date underscores its importance within the Buffalo nickel variety census.

Attribution History

• Discovered by J. T. Stanton Cross References: CONECA: 1-O-III, Cherrypickers: FS-05-1918D-101 (016.5)
• CONECA: 1-O-III, Cherrypickers: FS-05-1918D-101 (016.5); Wexler Variety ID: 1918-D 5¢ WDDO-001
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References