1940-S Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-008

Description

Attributed by Brian A. Ribar and cross-referenced as Wexler WDDR-008, this 1940-S Jefferson Nickel exhibits Class II Distorted Hub Doubling on the reverse. The doubling is visible on E PLURIBUS UNUM, where the Class II mechanism produces spread resulting from distortion of the hub itself rather than misalignment between hub and die. A die crack at the top of Jefferson's head on the obverse provides an additional identification marker. Further die scratches appear near the rim below UNITED STATES and between the T and S of CENTS on the reverse. This die may also carry a possible S/S repunched mint mark (South), which if confirmed would make it a dual-variety coin exhibiting both hub doubling and a repunched mint mark on the same die pair. The 1940-S Jefferson Nickel had a mintage of approximately 39.69 million, the highest San Francisco total for the pre-wartime composition years. Class II Distorted Hub varieties result from the hub developing slight dimensional changes through repeated use, and the resulting doubling pattern transfers identically to every die made from that hub, though individual die markers like the head crack remain unique to this specific working die.

Attribution History

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

External References