1940-S Doubled Die Reverse DDR-003

Description

Adolph Weinman's fasces reverse on the Mercury dime provides several diagnostic zones for doubled die detection, and DDR-003 on the 1940-S issue concentrates its light spread on STATES OF, the uppermost right branch, adjacent leaves, and the top of the fasces bundle. The cross-reference designation 3-R-II-C follows the VarietyVista classification framework: third documented reverse variety, Class II pivoted or rotational hub doubling, with the C suffix denoting the specific subtype within that class. San Francisco struck approximately 21.6 million Mercury dimes in 1940, maintaining its role as the lower-mintage facility compared to Philadelphia and Denver for most dates in the series. The fasces — the Roman symbol of civic authority that gives the reverse its distinctive vertical axis — serves as a natural reference point for detecting rotational doubling, since any pivot-type misalignment will manifest differently at different distances from the rotation center. Light spread on the upper branches and leaves near the top of the fasces indicates the doubling increases with distance from a pivot point located somewhere in the lower portion of the die. Collectors should examine the uppermost right branch carefully under magnification, as the branch separation provides a cleaner diagnostic than the overlapping leaves.

Attribution History

• 3-R-II-C

External References