1930 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-004

Description

Exhibiting Class IV hub doubling — the offset rotated type where the hub pivots while simultaneously shifting position — this 1930 Buffalo Nickel doubled die obverse shows a spread to the north on the upper eyelid and the lower right side of the large feather. Attributed by the Wexler Team under Wexler Variety ID WDDO-004, the variety also displays slight doubling on the lower lip, adding a third diagnostic area. Obverse die markers include short die scratches between the two ribbons trailing from the Native American portrait, while on the reverse a die scratch runs from the E to the P in E PLURIBUS UNUM. Class IV offset rotated doubling is one of the less common mechanisms, occurring when the hub contacts the die at a slightly different rotational angle between successive impressions, producing directional spread that varies across the design depending on distance from the pivot point. The 1930 Buffalo Nickel was struck only at Philadelphia with a mintage over twenty-two million, representing the later years of James Earle Fraser's iconic design before replacement by the Jefferson Nickel in 1938. No additional cross-references are published.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Ron Pope Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1930 5¢ WDDO-004
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References