1923-S Doubled Die Obverse DDO-001

Description

Strong extra thickness on the date and LIBERTY characterizes this first documented doubled die obverse for the 1923-S Buffalo Nickel, tracked by VarietyVista under die markers UVC-055 and DMR-002. The strong doubling on both the date and LIBERTY mirrors the features of the 1923-P DDO-001, though the two are entirely separate die pairs from different mint facilities — the low UVC-055 number indicates this was among the earlier varieties cataloged in the VarietyVista system. Stage A shows early die state unconfirmed, Stage B shows both obverse and reverse in middle die state (MDS), and Stage C shows late die state unconfirmed. The 1923-S Buffalo Nickel was struck at the San Francisco Mint with a mintage of approximately 6.14 million pieces — significantly lower than the Philadelphia output, making S-mint examples scarcer in all grades. San Francisco's Buffalo Nickel production during the 1920s served Western states' commercial needs, and the lower mintages mean fewer surviving examples of any die variety. James Earle Fraser's iconic design was approaching its midpoint in 1923, with fifteen years remaining before the series ended in 1938. The strong doubling combined with the semi-key S-mint status makes this variety particularly desirable to collectors who specialize in Buffalo Nickel die varieties, where the intersection of a meaningful variety and lower mintage creates enhanced numismatic value.

Die Markers

• UVC-055
• DMR-002
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Obverse and Reverse are MDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Unknown
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References