1944-D Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-001

Description

John A. Wexler attributed this Denver Mint Jefferson nickel as WDDO-001 under the Class I, Rotated Hub Doubling classification, with close doubling visible on IN GOD WE TRUST, LIBERTY, the star, and the date. The Class I rotational mechanism produces a characteristic spread pattern where all design elements rotate slightly around the center of the die, creating uniform displacement across the entire obverse. This variety carries multiple cross-references: CONECA 1-O-I-CW (confirming the clockwise rotation), and a combined listing with WRPM-004/RPM#8, indicating the same die also displays a repunched mintmark, making this a dual-variety coin where both a doubled die obverse and a repunched mintmark coexist on a single die pair. The obverse shows a die crack across the top of Jefferson's head extending to the rim, a progressive fatigue indicator. The reverse exhibits a die crack from the top of Monticello's dome through the second U of PLURIBUS, plus a north-south die crack running through the building. The 1944-D Jefferson nickel was struck in the wartime silver alloy (56% copper, 35% silver, 9% manganese), with a mintage of 32.309 million pieces. The combination of Class I doubled die with repunched mintmark on a wartime silver composition makes WDDO-001 one of the more multifaceted varieties in the wartime Jefferson nickel inventory.

Attribution History

• Discovered by John A. Wexler
• CONECA 1-O-I-CW; WRPM-004/RPM#8; Wexler Variety ID: 1944-D WDDO-001
• Expert attribution by John A. Wexler

External References