1946 Doubled Die Reverse DDR-003

Description

Documented by VarietyVista with die identifier UVC-0606 and die marker reference DMR-017, the 1946 Washington Silver Quarter DDR-003 exhibits medium spread on UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and E PLURIBUS — legend doubling that affects the primary reverse inscription elements across the upper portion of the reverse die. The medium spread designation indicates clearly visible but not dramatic separation between primary and secondary letter images, placing this variety in the intermediate range of doubling strength among Washington Quarter doubled dies. Three die stages document the working die's progression: Stage A in early die state (EDS), unconfirmed; Stage B in mid-die-state (MDS), also unconfirmed; and Stage C at late die state (LDS) featuring five parallel die scratches through the lower portion of the M in AMERICA and a die crack running across the forehead and hair on the obverse. The five parallel scratches through the M are particularly distinctive as a die stage marker because their regular parallel arrangement suggests they originated from a single tool contact during die maintenance rather than from random wear, making them a reliable fingerprint for identifying Stage C specimens. John Flanagan designed the Washington Quarter with George Washington's profile on the obverse after Jean-Antoine Houdon's famous bust, and a heraldic eagle on the reverse. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 1946 in 90% silver composition (90% silver, 10% copper) weighing 6.25 grams with a 24.26 mm diameter, the 1946 quarter represents the first post-World War II year of production. The doubled reverse lettering combined with the distinctive late-state scratches and forehead crack creates a variety with both hub-origin anomalies and die deterioration features worth documenting across multiple die stages.

Die Markers

• UVC-0606
• DMR-017
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• Five parallel die scratches through lower M of AMERICA – LDS
• Die crack across forehead and hair – LDS

Attribution History

• Discovered by Lee Hiemke
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References