1948-D Doubled Die Reverse DDR-001

Description

Premier doubled die reverse for the inaugural 1948-D Franklin Half Dollar, this variety exhibits medium spread northwest on E PLURIBUS UNUM, UNITED, HALF DOLLAR, dots, and the right side of the bell clapper — the same comprehensive spread pattern shared across multiple DDR entries for this first-year Denver Mint issue. Tracked under UVC-009 and DMR-002 in the VarietyVista system, three die states have been established: Stages A and B remain unconfirmed, while Stage C records both dies in late die state with the obverse listed as DDO-001 — creating a premier DDO/DDR die marriage where the very first doubled die obverse pairs with the very first doubled die reverse for the date. This DDO-001/DDR-001 combination represents the most significant die marriage for the 1948-D Franklin Half Dollar, uniting two primary hubbing anomalies on a single inaugural-year coin. John R. Sinnock's Franklin Half Dollar debuted in 1948, replacing the Walking Liberty Half Dollar with a design featuring Benjamin Franklin's portrait on the obverse and the Liberty Bell on the reverse. The Denver Mint produced approximately 4.0 million 1948-D half dollars, a relatively modest mintage that established the new design's production parameters. The medium northwest spread affecting the reverse legend, denomination, and bell clapper detail indicates a consistent hub misalignment geometry across the affected design elements. As DDR-001 for the inaugural Denver Mint Franklin Half Dollar, this variety anchors the doubled die reverse catalog for the date and represents a cornerstone variety for collectors of the Franklin Half Dollar series.

Die Markers

• UVC-009
• DMR-002
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• Reverse is LDS
• Obverse is LISTED as DDO-001 – LDS

Attribution History

• Discovered by Ed Raser
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References