1938 Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-005

Description

Attributed by Lou Coles and cross-referenced under Wexler Variety ID 1938 WDDR-005, this doubled die reverse on the inaugural-year 1938 Jefferson Nickel displays close Class II Distorted Hub Doubling on E PLURIBUS UNUM. Class II doubling arises from distortion within the hub itself during die production rather than from rotational misalignment between hub impressions, creating tightly spaced doubled outlines that require careful magnified examination to confirm. Obverse die markers note this die is listed as 1938 5c WDDO-006, establishing that the obverse die from this pair also carries a doubled die obverse attribution — a dual DDO/DDR pairing that significantly enhances collector interest by combining two distinct hub anomalies within a single die marriage. Reverse die markers include a die scratch to the upper left of the first A of AMERICA and a short die gouge to the left of the F of OF, providing the secondary diagnostics needed for definitive attribution. The 1938 Jefferson Nickel holds special status as the first year of Felix Schlag's design that won a public competition to replace the Buffalo Nickel — and die varieties from this inaugural year document the manufacturing debut of a design that would serve the denomination for over six decades. First-year die production for any new design involves a learning curve as the Mint optimizes die life, striking pressure, and hub-to-die transfer for the new relief configuration, and WDDR-005 with its companion WDDO-006 obverse captures hub production anomalies from this formative period. Lou Coles's attribution brings expert-level documentation to a variety that enriches the inaugural-year Jefferson Nickel catalog with evidence of Class II hub distortion during the design's first production run.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Lou Coles
• Wexler Variety ID: 1938 WDDR-005
• Expert attribution by Lou Coles

External References