1945 (D) Jefferson Nickel - Wartime Silver Alloy - Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-002

Description

Attributed by John A. Wexler himself, WDDO-002 for the 1945-D Jefferson nickel is a Class V pivoted hub doubling showing spread on LIBERTY, the star, and the date. Class V pivoting occurs when the hub rotates partially between successive impressions during die manufacture, creating spread that fans outward from a fixed pivot point — the farther a design element sits from the pivot axis, the wider its separation between primary and secondary images. Obverse die markers include slanted die scratches below the L in LIBERTY and a die crack on the collar of Jefferson's coat, the latter being a progressive failure that helps establish die state. The reverse carries a distinctive cluster of markers: a series of die dots above and to the right of the small right window of Monticello, plus a die dot and accompanying cracks above and to the left of the small left window. Cross-referenced as Wexler Variety ID 1945-D WDDO-002, this variety emerged from Denver's wartime nickel production. The 1945-D Jefferson nickel was struck in the wartime silver alloy (56% copper, 35% silver, 9% manganese), with the large D mintmark above Monticello; copper-nickel did not return until 1946. Felix Schlag won the 1938 design competition for the Jefferson nickel with his portrait of the third president, and by 1945 the design was well established. The die crack on the collar and the cluster of die dots near the windows create a multi-point diagnostic map that, combined with the Class V pivoted spread on the obverse inscriptions, provides robust confirmation criteria for WDDO-002 attribution.

Cross References

• Wexler Variety ID: 1945-D WDDO-002

External References