1946 Jefferson Nickel - Doubled Die Obverse VDDO-002

Description

Documented by VarietyVista, this 1946 Jefferson Nickel carries the VDDO-002 designation — a doubled die obverse showing light spread on IN GOD WE TRUST, LIBERTY, the five-pointed star, and the date. Struck in 75% copper and 25% nickel at the Philadelphia Mint, this coin comes from the first full postwar year of Jefferson Nickel production after the wartime silver-alloy issues of 1942-1945. The return to standard composition meant a return to familiar striking characteristics, including the die-making processes that could produce hub doubling. In its early die state, the obverse carries light die scratches running through the RU of TRUST, while the reverse shows light north-south die scratches on the upper left portion of the die, also in early die state. The light spread across multiple obverse legend elements suggests a minor rotational or translational shift between hub impressions during die manufacture, subtle enough that detection requires careful examination under magnification. Felix Schlag's Jefferson portrait, introduced in 1938, was in its eighth year of production, and early postwar dies would have been prepared with techniques largely unchanged from prewar practice.

Die Markers

• UVC-???
• DMR-00?
• Stage A:
• Light die scratches through RU of TRUST – EDS
• Light die scratches North-South on upper Left Reverse – EDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

External References