1939 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-009

Description

Attributed by Thomas McGowan, WDDO-009 for the 1939 Philadelphia Mint Mercury Dime — properly the Winged Liberty Head Dime — displays a close spread toward the center on the date. Obverse die markers include numerous die scratches through the I in LIBERTY, along with several scratches oriented mostly southwest-to-northeast to the right of the upper back of Liberty's neck. On the reverse, a small die gouge above the N in ONE provides an additional identification point. Adolph A. Weinman's design, struck from 1916 through 1945, features Liberty wearing a winged Phrygian cap — often mistaken for the Roman god Mercury, which gave the coin its popular name. The centripetal doubling — spreading inward toward center — is characteristic of Class II distorted hub doubling, where angular misalignment during secondary hubbing shifts the impression inward. The 1939 Philadelphia issue was produced in substantial quantity during the final pre-war years. Collectors seeking this variety should examine the date for the centripetal spread and verify the scratches through LIBERTY as confirming markers. Reverse: Small die gouges can be found above the N in ONE.Submitted By: Thomas McGowanCross References: None known Obverse: Several die scratches run mostly SW/NE to the right of the upper back of the neck.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Thomas McGowan Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1939 10¢ WDDO-009
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References