1942-D Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-001

Description

Holding the primary obverse doubled die designation for the 1942-D Jefferson nickel, WDDO-001 presents a Class V (Pivoted Hub Doubling) spread visible on LIBERTY, the star, and the date. Class V doubling occurs when the hub pivots during the die sinking process, creating a rotational displacement that produces separation varying in direction and magnitude across different areas of the design — elements near the pivot point show minimal separation while those farther from the axis display progressively wider spread. Felix Schlag's Jefferson portrait, which won the 1938 design competition for the new nickel, places LIBERTY and the date on the left side of the obverse where pivoted hub displacement is often most pronounced. Obverse die markers include a die scratch between the U and S of TRUST — a linear diagnostic that fingerprints this specific working die independent of the doubling characteristic. The reverse carries dual attributions: it is listed as WDDR-002 (a doubled die reverse in its own right) and also carries an unresolved WRPM designation for a D/D South repunched mintmark. This combination of obverse doubled die, reverse doubled die, and repunched mintmark on a single die pair makes WDDO-001 an unusually rich attribution target. Denver struck approximately 13.94 million nickels in 1942 before wartime silver-content "war nickels" began production with the large P mintmark above Monticello. The 1942-D in standard copper-nickel composition therefore represents a relatively brief production window before the alloy changeover. Collectors should first locate the die scratch between U and S of TRUST to confirm the correct die, then examine LIBERTY and the date under 10-15x magnification for the rotational Class V displacement pattern.

Die Markers

• Obverse: Die scratch between U and S of TRUST.
• Reverse: Listed as 1942-D 5c WDDR-002.  WRPM-??? D/D South

External References