1939 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-010

Description

Cataloged by VarietyVista with die identifiers UVC-0095 and DMR-012, the 1939 DDO-010 Washington Silver Quarter presents light spread with extra thickness on LIBERTY — a subtle doubled die obverse where the hub displacement was small enough to produce thickened letter strokes rather than clearly separated secondary images. Three die stages trace the die's service life: Stage A represents early die state (EDS, unconfirmed); Stage B at mid-die-state (MDS) shows numerous fine die scratches developing across the obverse, followed by a transition where strong die gouges appear through all letters around the rim indicating late die state conditions; and Stage C represents full late die state (LDS, unconfirmed). The progressive accumulation of die scratches and gouges through the letters around the rim documents a die that experienced significant surface degradation during its production run, with the gouges through the lettering being particularly diagnostic because they interact with known design elements in locationally specific ways. The Washington Quarter was designed by John Flanagan, based on Jean-Antoine Houdon's 1786 bust of George Washington, and first issued in 1932. The 1939 issue was struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 90% silver (90% silver, 10% copper) weighing 6.25 grams with a 24.3 mm diameter and a reeded edge. Pre-war Philadelphia Mint quarters from 1939 represent a period of relatively modest mintages before the dramatic production increases driven by World War II mobilization. The combination of subtle hub doubling on LIBERTY with progressively severe die deterioration across the die stages creates a variety that can be identified through multiple independent diagnostic criteria, with the stage determination helping collectors understand the relative rarity and die-life timing of their specific specimen.

Die Markers

• UVC-0095
• DMR-012
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Numerous fine die scratches on Obverse – MDS
• Strong die gouges through all letters around rim – LDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Lee Hiemke
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References