1937 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-002

Description

Second in the obverse doubled die census for the 1937 Mercury dime, DDO-002 presents light spread on the date and IN GOD WE TRUST on Adolph A. Weinman's iconic "Winged Liberty Head" obverse — popularly nicknamed the Mercury dime for Liberty's resemblance to the Roman messenger god. VarietyVista assigned identifiers UVC-082 and DMR-004, and the variety carries a cross-reference designation of 2-O-V-CW from K-2 (the Klaiman attribution system), linking this variety across multiple reference frameworks. The original cataloger's notation "I need to see a specimen for new digital photographs" indicates this variety was documented from earlier records and awaits updated high-resolution imaging — a common situation for pre-war dime varieties where surviving examples in adequate condition can be difficult to locate for reference photography. Philadelphia struck approximately 56.87 million dimes in 1937, a substantial Depression-era production run that reflected improving economic conditions and growing demand for small denomination coinage. Weinman's design, featuring Liberty wearing a winged Phrygian cap on the obverse and a fasces with olive branch on the reverse, is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful coin designs in American numismatic history. The light spread on both the date and the motto IN GOD WE TRUST indicates the hub displacement affected multiple areas of the lower obverse, suggesting a broad angular misalignment. Collectors should examine the date digits and motto letters under 15-20x magnification, looking for subtle thickening or displaced secondary impressions, and cross-check against the K-2 system listing 2-O-V-CW for additional diagnostic guidance.

Die Markers

• UVC-082, DMR-004

Attribution History

• 2-O-V-CW from K-2

External References