1943-S Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-004

Description

Fourth in the obverse doubled die census for the 1943-S Jefferson wartime nickel, WDDO-004 presents strong counterclockwise spread on IN GOD WE TRUST, LIBERTY, the five-pointed star, and the date — a comprehensive doubling event that affects virtually every major obverse design element on Felix Schlag's portrait. Class I Rotated Hub Doubling, the most mechanically straightforward doubling class in the Wexler system, occurs when the hub physically rotates between impressions, producing displacement that follows a consistent arc across the die face. San Francisco struck approximately 104.06 million wartime silver-alloy nickels in 1943, using the 56% copper, 35% silver, 9% manganese composition adopted to conserve nickel for military use, with the large S mintmark placed prominently above Monticello's dome on the reverse. No obverse die markers were noted beyond the doubling itself, but the reverse carries two significant diagnostics: a die crack from the left side of the N of UNUM extending to the rim, and a die crack from the lower right side of the Monticello building extending to the rim. These two reverse die cracks provide independent confirmation points that identify the specific die pair without relying on the obverse doubling assessment. The strong designation places this among the more visually dramatic Jefferson nickel doubled dies, with the counterclockwise spread producing clearly displaced secondary images on the motto, LIBERTY, star, and date that should be detectable under moderate magnification. The broad scope of affected elements — spanning both inscriptions and design devices across the full obverse field — indicates a substantial rotational displacement during the hubbing process. Collectors should locate the reverse die cracks first to confirm the die marriage, then examine the obverse under 10x magnification for the rotational spread.

Die Markers

• Obverse: None noted.
• Reverse: Die crack from left side of N of UNUM to rim; die crack from lower right side of building to rim.

External References