1945 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-008

Description

Cataloged by the Wexler Team as 1945 10¢ WDDO-008 and submitted by Thomas McGowan, this Mercury Dime displays a close spread toward the center on the date and the designer's initial — a convergent displacement pattern where the secondary hub impression shifted inward relative to the primary, creating doubling that appears on the interior side of the affected elements. The designer's initial, a small W for Adolph A. Weinman positioned at the truncation of Liberty's neck, is particularly sensitive to hub displacement because its diminutive size means even slight misalignment produces a proportionally significant effect. Obverse die markers include a die scratch running northwest to southeast above the OD in GOD and a die gouge to the right of the bottom of the T in LIBERTY — two geographically separated markers that together provide reliable identification of this specific obverse die. No significant reverse markers have been reported. The Mercury Dime — more properly the Winged Liberty Head Dime — was designed by Adolph A. Weinman and struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 1945, the final year of production before the series was replaced by the Roosevelt Dime in 1946. Composed of 90% silver weighing 2.50 grams with a 17.9 mm diameter, the 1945 Mercury Dime was produced during the closing months of World War II. Weinman's design featuring Liberty wearing a winged Phrygian cap (often mistaken for the Roman god Mercury, hence the popular name) is widely regarded as one of the most artistically accomplished coin designs in American numismatic history. Thomas McGowan's submission of this variety to the Wexler files contributed to the comprehensive documentation of late-date Mercury Dime doubled dies.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Thomas McGowan Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1945 10¢ WDDO-008
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References