1946-S Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-003

Description

Third in the Wexler-documented obverse doubled die census for the 1946-S Washington quarter, WDDO-003 displays a spread towards the center on the letters LIBE in LIBERTY. The inward-directed spread indicates the secondary hub impression was displaced toward the coin's center relative to the primary impression, producing doubling on the interior edges of the affected letters. Obverse die markers provide two distinct diagnostics: numerous die scratches running northwest-to-southeast through the TY in LIBERTY, and nearly vertical die scratches to the left of the eye on Washington's portrait. These die-specific markers serve as fingerprints that confirm the correct working die before the more detailed examination for doubling characteristics. Reverse die markers note a trumpet tail S mintmark — a specific mintmark punch style where the lower terminal of the S flares outward like a trumpet bell, distinguishing it from other S punch shapes used at San Francisco. Cross-referenced under Wexler Variety ID: 1946-S 25c WDDO-003, this variety belongs to the first post-war year of Washington quarter production, when San Francisco struck approximately 4.20 million quarters — a relatively low mintage that makes this date a semi-key issue in the series. John Flanagan's Washington quarter obverse, featuring the first president's left-facing bust with LIBERTY above and the date below, positions LIBERTY across the upper portion of the design where hub displacement manifests as doubled letter contours. The center-directed spread on LIBE (with the remaining letters TY carrying die scratches rather than doubling) suggests the hub tilted or shifted toward the interior, affecting only the leftmost letters of the inscription. Collectors should locate the NW-SE die scratches through TY and the vertical scratches near the eye to verify the die, then examine LIBE under 15x magnification for displaced secondary contours on the inner edges of each letter, comparing against the trumpet tail S mintmark on the reverse for complete attribution confirmation.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Whaden Curtis Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1946-S 25¢ WDDO-003
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References