1939 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-006

Description

Sixth in the obverse doubled die census for the 1939 Jefferson nickel, WDDO-006 presents Class VI (Distended Hub) doubling manifesting as extra thickness on LIBERTY, the five-pointed star, and the date. Class VI doubling in the Wexler classification system results from a die that has expanded or distended between hub impressions — typically due to the die steel stretching under repeated hubbing pressure — causing the secondary impression to land on a slightly larger die surface and producing thickened design elements rather than the directional displacement seen in other doubling classes. Felix Schlag's Jefferson portrait, winner of a 1938 design competition, was in only its second year of production in 1939. Obverse die markers provide key identification points: a die scratch extends from the back of Jefferson's queue (the tied ponytail at the back of his neck), and a short die scratch appears on Jefferson's forehead near the hairline. The reverse is cross-listed as 1939 5c WDDR-008, indicating the reverse die in this marriage carries its own documented doubled die attribution — making this a dual-attribution die pair. Philadelphia struck approximately 120.63 million Jefferson nickels in 1939, a substantial second-year production run. The Class VI distention mechanism produces a fundamentally different visual effect than the directional spread of Classes I through V: rather than seeing clearly displaced secondary images, collectors observe uniformly thickened design elements where the expanded die surface caused the secondary hub impression to slightly enlarge all features. Extra thickness on LIBERTY, the star, and the date should be evaluated against confirmed normal examples under 10-15x magnification, looking for letter strokes, star points, and date digits that appear heavier than expected. The dual-attribution status enhances this variety's appeal for collectors seeking comprehensively documented die marriages.

Die Markers

• Obverse: Die scratch from back of queue; short die scratch on Jefferson's forehead near hairline.
• Reverse: Listed as 1939 5c WDDR-008.

External References