1938 Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-002

Description

Bearing the second reverse doubled die designation for the inaugural 1938 Jefferson nickel, WDDR-002 exhibits very slight Class II (Distorted Hub) doubling on E PLURIBUS UNUM — the reverse motto positioned above Felix Schlag's Monticello depiction. Class II doubling results from a rotational distortion between hub impressions, where the working hub pivoted slightly during the secondary impression, producing displacement that varies with distance from the axis of rotation. The 1938 Jefferson nickel holds special significance as the first year of the type, replacing the Buffalo nickel design that had been in production since 1913. Schlag won a public design competition to create the new nickel, with his portrait of Thomas Jefferson on the obverse and a front-facing view of Monticello on the reverse — though the Mint modified his original reverse to show the building from a slightly different angle. Philadelphia struck approximately 19.52 million Jefferson nickels in 1938, a modest first-year mintage that generated collector interest from the outset. Obverse die markers provide critical secondary diagnostics: a series of north-south die scratches appear on Jefferson's collar, while the reverse carries a series of die scratches to the upper right of the large center semicircular window of Monticello. These die-specific scratches serve as fingerprints that identify this particular working die pair independent of the doubling itself. The very slight classification indicates the doubling on E PLURIBUS UNUM is quite subtle, demanding careful examination at 20x or greater magnification with oblique lighting to resolve the rotational displacement on the motto letters. Collectors should first confirm the die scratches on the collar and near the semicircular window before attempting to evaluate the delicate reverse doubling.

Die Markers

• Obverse: Series of N/S die scratches on Jefferson's collar.
• Reverse: Series of die scratches to upper right of large center semicircular window.

External References