1947-S Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-002

Description

Classified as Class II, Distorted Hub Doubling, this 1947-S Jefferson nickel obverse variety displays doubling on the star, the date, and LIBERTY, while tripling (indicating a doubled master die) is visible on IN GOD WE TRUST. The presence of both working die doubling and master die tripling on a single coin creates a layered diagnostic challenge for attributors, as the tripled motto lettering reflects a hub-level anomaly that was then compounded by additional distortion during working die preparation. Obverse die markers are numerous and well-defined: a slanted die scratch cuts through the second T of TRUST, a series of die scratches cluster behind Jefferson's shoulder, additional die scratches appear below the numeral 7 of the date, and further scratches run below Jefferson's chin. The reverse carries no noted die markers. The 1947-S Jefferson nickel had a mintage of 24.72 million pieces from the San Francisco Mint, the last year San Francisco produced nickels before a gap until the 1950s. Collectors should examine the motto first for the tripling effect, then confirm the star and date doubling, using the T-of-TRUST scratch and shoulder scratch cluster as authentication anchors. The combination of master die tripling with working die doubling makes WDDO-002 analytically distinctive.

Die Markers

• Obverse: Slanted die scratch through second T of TRUST; series of die scratches behind Jefferson's shoulder; die scratches below numeral 7 of date; die scratches below Jefferson's chin.
• Reverse: None noted.

External References