1951-S Variety WMHO-001

Description

San Francisco`s 1951 Washington Quarters occupy a special place in the WMHO-001 story. The S-mint typically produced fewer quarters than Philadelphia or Denver, giving these coins a lower surviving population despite carrying the same master hub doubling found across all three facilities. A moderate clockwise spread from a pivot near 3:00 shows on IN GOD WE TRUST — the diagnostic signature of WMHO-001, classified by CONECA as SD-4-O-V and attributed by the Wexler Team as 1951-S 25-cent WMHO-001. Master hub doubling differs fundamentally from working die doubling: the master hub sits at the top of the die-making hierarchy, and any displacement it carries transfers through working hubs to every working die produced during its service life, spanning 1951 through 1954. Because San Francisco`s lower mintage means fewer coins entered circulation, S-mint examples can be somewhat harder to locate in higher grades. Collectors examining the motto under magnification will find the clockwise displacement characteristic of this variety, with strength varying according to the condition of the individual working die and the coin`s own wear history.

Attribution History

• Discovered by John A. Wexler Cross References: CONECA: SD-4-O-V Comments: Because the master hub is designed to be used over a period of several years, this one was used during the period from 1951 through 1954. Consequently most Washington quarters during that period of time will show this doubling. Differences in the appearance of the doubling will be due to wear on the working hubs, wear on the working dies, and wear on the coins themselves.
• CONECA: SD-4-O-V Comments: Because the master hub is designed to be used over a period of several years, this one was used during the period from 1951 through 1954. Consequently most Washington quarters during that period of time will show this doubling. Differences in the appearance of the doubling will be due to wear on the working hubs, wear on the working dies, and wear on the coins themselves.; Wexler Variety ID: 1951-S 25¢ WMHO-001
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References