1939-S Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-001

Description

Whaden Curtis attributed this San Francisco Mint Jefferson nickel, assigning the Wexler Variety ID 1939-S WDDR-001 for its Class II, Distorted Hub Doubling on the reverse die. Among the reverse inscriptions, UNUM receives the strongest expression of doubling, making the last word of E PLURIBUS UNUM the most efficient starting point for a visual search. The obverse die developed a crack that runs across the top of Jefferson's head, a progressive fatigue feature indicating this die saw substantial service before retirement. On the reverse, three categories of die markers aid authentication: die chips lodged inside the vertical sides of the M in MONTICELLO, die scratches positioned above the left side of the Monticello building facade, and die scratches visible inside the letter E of STATES. The 1939-S Jefferson nickel was struck at San Francisco with a mintage of 6.63 million pieces. As the very first doubled die reverse cataloged for this date and mint, WDDR-001 holds foundational significance in the early Jefferson nickel variety canon. The Class II mechanism indicates hub distortion rather than rotational misalignment, producing a spread pattern that differs from the pivoted or tilted displacement seen in other doubled die classes. Curtis's pioneering work documenting early Jefferson nickel varieties established many of the baseline attributions still in use today.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Whaden Curtis
• Wexler Variety ID: 1939-S WDDR-001
• Expert attribution by Whaden Curtis

External References