1938-D Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-005

Description

Inaugural-year Denver Mint Jefferson Nickel production yielded WDDO-005, featuring very close Class II Distorted Hub Doubling on IN GOD WE TRUST, LIBERTY, the star, and the date — four distinct obverse regions affected by hub displacement during the first year of Felix Schlag's prize-winning design. Denver struck 5,376,000 Jefferson Nickels in 1938, a modest figure reflecting the denomination's mid-year introduction following the design competition that selected Schlag's entry from among 390 submissions. Brian A. Ribar attributed this variety, identifying obverse die markers that include a die gouge above the E of LIBERTY, while the reverse carries a die scratch gouge inside the upper portion of the first U of UNUM and a die gouge on the lower left side of the long right window of the Monticello facade. Cross-referenced as Wexler Variety ID 1938-D WDDO-005, this variety's significance extends beyond its individual diagnostic interest: as a first-year-of-issue doubled die from the Denver Mint, it documents hub displacement on dies manufactured during the initial production setup for an entirely new design, when die-making processes were still being calibrated for the unfamiliar relief patterns and design geometry of Schlag's compositions. The very close Class II spread requires careful examination under magnification to distinguish from die deterioration doubling.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Brian A. Ribar
• Wexler Variety ID: 1938-D WDDO-005
• Expert attribution by Brian A. Ribar

External References