1940 Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-008

Description

Attributed by Brian A. Ribar and cross-referenced as Wexler Variety ID 1940 WDDR-008, this early Jefferson Nickel doubled die reverse combines Class II (distorted hub) and Class V (pivoted hub) doubling mechanisms on a single die. The Class V component manifests as doubling on OF AMERICA, while the Class II component appears on UNUM — a distribution indicating that the hub experienced both a rotational pivot and a tilting distortion during the die impression process, producing compound displacement where different areas of the reverse exhibit different doubling characteristics. Die markers confirm the attribution: a die scratch between the W and E of WE on the obverse, and die scratches below STATES and AMERICA on the reverse. The dual-class mechanism (Class II plus Class V) is relatively uncommon among Jefferson Nickel doubled dies and reflects a complex hub-to-die interaction during the multiple impression process used to create working dies. The 1940 Jefferson Nickel was struck during only the third year of Felix Schlag's design, which had won a competition to replace the Buffalo Nickel in 1938. Production in 1940 at Philadelphia reached over 176 million coins, establishing the Jefferson Nickel as a firmly entrenched circulating denomination. Eight doubled die reverses for the 1940 date demonstrates that hub misalignment was a regular occurrence during early Jefferson Nickel die production. The Monticello reverse, depicting Thomas Jefferson's Virginia estate, features architectural details and inscriptions that provide clear reference points for detecting and classifying hub doubling, and the compound Class II/V mechanism preserved on WDDR-008 makes this variety technically significant for understanding the range of hub motion that could occur during 1940s-era die preparation at the Philadelphia Mint.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Brian A. Ribar
• Wexler Variety ID: 1940 WDDR-008
• Expert attribution by Brian A. Ribar

External References