1939 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-005

Description

Completing a census of five obverse doubled dies for the 1939 Philadelphia Mercury dime, DDO-005 presents light spread on the date — the same affected element as DDO-001 through DDO-004, each originating from a different working die with its own unique hub misalignment characteristics. Philadelphia's 1939 mintage of approximately 67.7 million dimes marks one of the stronger production years in the series' mid-period, providing the volume base from which five distinct obverse doubled dies emerged. Cross-referenced as 5-O-II-C — fifth obverse variety, Class II pivoted doubling, C subtype — and tracked under UVC-286 with die marriage DMR-007 in the VarietyVista system. The five DDOs documented for 1939 Philadelphia represent a particularly well-cataloged vintage, likely reflecting both the moderate mintage and the date's popularity among Mercury dime collectors. Distinguishing DDO-005 from its four siblings requires precise measurement of the doubling direction and magnitude on the date digits, as all five share the same affected element and the same Class II doubling mechanism. Die marriage data provides the definitive attribution path: UVC-286 and DMR-007 identify the specific obverse and reverse dies that distinguish this variety from the other four. The light classification means magnification of at least 7x is recommended for initial detection.

Die Markers

• UVC-286, DMR-007

Attribution History

• 5-O-II-C

External References