1945 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-004

Description

Multiple die cracks accompany the hub doubling on this 1945 Washington Quarter, creating a variety with both doubled die and die deterioration features. Extra thickness spread toward the center appears on IN GOD WE TRUST, LIBERTY, the lower ribbon, the designer's initials, and the date, affecting a broad swath of obverse design elements. The centripetal spread direction, where doubling pushes elements inward toward the coin's center, characterizes the hub displacement on this die. Die markers are extensive: on the obverse, a die crack runs across the base of the bust, while a second crack traverses east-west through the hair above the forehead and at the top of the head. The reverse carries its own die crack running down the eagle's right wing. These three separate cracks suggest the coin was struck from a die in an advanced state of deterioration, and the combination of doubled features with progressive cracking documents both the hubbing error and the die's subsequent working life. Cross-referenced as Wexler Variety ID: 1945 25¢ WDDO-004. The final year of World War II saw high-volume quarter production that pushed working dies through their full lifespan.

Attribution History

• Discovered by John A. Wexler Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1945 25¢ WDDO-004
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References