1946-S Doubled Die Obverse DDO-003

Description

Documented by VarietyVista with die tracking codes UVC-0630 and DMR-005, this 1946-S Washington Silver Quarter DDO-003 exhibits light spread on LIBERTY — a subtle but diagnostically meaningful hub displacement visible under careful magnification on the primary obverse inscription. Three die stages provide a service life timeline: Stage A is early die state (EDS, unconfirmed); Stage B is mid-die-state identified by a die gouge behind the head under the T of LIBERTY with the reverse also in MDS; and Stage C is late die state showing the die gouge worn away and circular die scratches visible through and below the mintmark area, indicating maintenance filing was performed on the die as it aged. The transition from Stage B to Stage C — where the diagnostic die gouge behind the head disappears due to continued use and polishing — demonstrates how die state progression can actually remove attribution markers, making early-state specimens potentially easier to attribute than heavily worn late-state examples. The 1946-S Washington Quarter was struck at the San Francisco Mint in 90% silver composition (90% silver, 10% copper) weighing 6.25 grams with a diameter of 24.26 mm. John Flanagan designed the Washington Quarter obverse based on Jean-Antoine Houdon's famous bust of George Washington, with the heraldic eagle reverse that served from 1932 through 1998. The 1946 date represents the first full post-World War II production year, when the San Francisco Mint resumed civilian coinage operations following wartime priorities. Collectors attributing this variety should focus on the LIBERTY inscription under 10x magnification while using the Stage B die gouge beneath the T as a secondary confirmation point on mid-state examples.

Die Markers

• UVC-0630
• DMR-005
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Die gouge behind head under T of LIBERTY – MDS
• Revere is MDS
• Stage C:
• Die gouge worn away – LDS
• Circular die scratches through and below mintmark – LDS

Attribution History

• Discovered by Unknown
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References