1945-D Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-004

Description

Fourth documented doubled die obverse for the 1945 Denver Mint Washington Silver Quarter, WDDO-004 exhibits a very close spread toward the center visible on IN GOD WE TRUST, the lower ribbon of Washington's hair queue, the designer's initials (JF for John Flanagan), and the date. The spread direction — toward the center — characterizes the class of hub doubling involved and helps distinguish this variety from others showing different directional displacement. A prominent die crack traversing the base of the bust into the lower ribbon and extending into the field above the numeral 1 in the date serves as the primary die marker, making attribution straightforward even on circulated specimens. No other cataloging cross-references are known, establishing the Wexler WDDO-004 designation as the sole formal attribution. The 1945-D quarter was struck during the final year of World War II, a period when the Denver Mint was operating at elevated capacity to support both domestic commerce and the needs of military personnel returning from overseas. Washington Quarters of this era were struck in 90% silver on planchets weighing 6.25 grams, and the forces required to fully impress the design into these silver blanks created the conditions under which hub doubling could occur during die manufacture. Attributed by the Wexler Team, WDDO-004 adds depth to the doubled die census for wartime Washington Quarters, a collecting area where new discoveries continue to emerge.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Robert E. Seigle Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1945-D 25¢ WDDO-004
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References