1925-S Variety WMDO-001

Description

San Francisco's 1925 Buffalo nickel production shares the same master die doubling documented as WMDO-001 across all three mint facilities. Cataloged as 1925-P,D,S 5¢ WMDO-001 by the Wexler Team and cross-referenced as CONECA MD-1-O-IV, this Class IV Master Die Doubling Obverse variety originated when the master die received a second impression at a slightly different position. Every 1925 Buffalo nickel from any mint carries this doubling, though individual coins display varying clarity depending on hub wear, die wear, and surface preservation. The S-mint 1925 had a lower mintage than Philadelphia, making it a somewhat scarcer host coin. Master die doubling differs fundamentally from working die doubling in that it cannot be considered a single-die anomaly — it is a production-wide characteristic. Documenting WMDO-001 across all three mints provides a complete picture of the master die's influence, and the San Francisco example appeals to collectors who value mint-specific completeness.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Bill Van Note Cross References: CONECA: MD-1-O-IV Comments: Because this doubling traces back to the master die, all coins for this date should show the indicated doubling. There may seem to be slight differences in the doubling from coin to coin, but these differences will be due to hub, die, and coin wear and abrading of the dies.
• CONECA: MD-1-O-IV Comments: Because this doubling traces back to the master die, all coins for this date should show the indicated doubling. There may seem to be slight differences in the doubling from coin to coin, but these differences will be due to hub, die, and coin wear and abrading of the dies.; Wexler Variety ID: 1925-P,D,S 5¢ WMDO-001
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References