1938 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-004

Description

The fourth cataloged doubled die obverse for the 1938 Jefferson nickel, DDO-004 shows light doubling on the same trio of design elements as its sibling DDO-003: LIBERTY, the star, and the date. While the affected elements overlap, DDO-004 originates from a different working die with its own unique hub misalignment characteristics and die marriage — classified as UVC-584 with DMR-006 under VarietyVista, compared to DDO-003's UVC-583 and DMR-005. The consecutive UVC numbers suggest these two varieties were documented in close proximity during the cataloging process. As another first-year Jefferson nickel variety, DDO-004 represents early die production for the new design at the Philadelphia Mint, where approximately 19.5 million of the inaugural nickels were struck. The doubling across LIBERTY, the star, and the date elements on both DDO-003 and DDO-004 may indicate a systemic issue with the master hub or working hub used early in the 1938 production run. Light doubling requires 7-10x magnification for confirmation, examining the serifs and edges of LIBERTY letters and the points of the star.

Die Markers

• UVC-584; DMR-006

External References