1929-D Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-001

Description

Close Class II spread toward the center is visible on the upper digit 1 of the date on this 1929 Denver Mint Mercury Dime, making WDDO-001 a notable find in a series that ran from 1916 to 1945. Class II doubling — distorted hub doubling — occurs when the hub or die is tilted during one of the multiple hubbing impressions, causing design elements to shift toward or away from a central axis rather than moving uniformly in one direction. The result on this variety is a tight extra image concentrated on the upper portion of the 1 in the date. Die markers documented by the Wexler Team include an obverse die crack from the top front of the wing running northwest to the rim, a vertical die crack on the front of the winged cap, and a die crack descending down the front of the wing through Liberty's hair. On the reverse, a die gouge extends from the rim above the dot between the D of UNITED, providing an additional attribution checkpoint. Cataloged under Wexler Variety ID 1929-D 10c WDDO-001 with no other cross-references known, this variety was struck during the World War I era at the Denver Mint. Adolph A. Weinman's Mercury Dime design features a winged Liberty head that collectors often find particularly attractive, and doubled die varieties on this series are avidly sought due to the combination of artistic appeal and the challenge of detection on the small-diameter planchet.

Attribution History

• Discovered by John Bordner Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1929-D 10¢ WDDO-001
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References