1938-D Doubled Die Reverse DDR-001

Description

From the inaugural year of the Jefferson nickel series, the 1938-D DDR-001 displays strong spread on E PLURIBUS UNUM with light spread extending to UNITED on the reverse. Felix Schlag's winning design, selected from a public competition, debuted in 1938, and this Denver Mint issue represents one of the earliest doubled dies in the series — a die variety originating from the very first year of production. Denver struck approximately 5.38 million nickels in 1938, a modest mintage that makes first-year Denver varieties particularly scarce. The VarietyVista catalog records UVC-602 with die marriage DMR-004. The strong doubling on E PLURIBUS UNUM contrasts with the lighter spread on UNITED, suggesting the hub misalignment had a focal zone near the center of the motto where the separation was greatest. Strong-class doubling on the motto is detectable under low magnification, with clearly visible secondary letter images. As DDR-001, this variety holds historical significance as the primary doubled die reverse for the 1938-D date, documenting die manufacturing characteristics from the Jefferson nickel's debut year.

Die Markers

• UVC-602; DMR-004

External References