1953-S Doubled Die Obverse DDO-001

Description

Topping the obverse doubled die census for the 1953-S Roosevelt dime, DDO-001 presents medium extra thickness on the date, designer's initials (JS for John R. Sinnock), and IN GOD WE TRUST — three diagnostic areas that collectively establish this as the most significant hub doubling event documented for the 1953-S silver dime. VarietyVista cataloged this variety under UVC-248 and DMR-004, tracking three die stages: Stage A at early die state (unconfirmed), Stage B where both obverse and reverse surfaces show mid die state characteristics, and Stage C at late die state (unconfirmed). The MDS confirmation for Stage B provides a documented reference point for die wear assessment. The comments note that a specimen is needed for new color digital photographs, indicating the existing reference imagery predates modern documentation standards. San Francisco struck approximately 39.18 million silver Roosevelt dimes in 1953, contributing to the series' silver-era production that continued through 1964. The medium extra thickness on three separate diagnostic areas — the date at the lower right, the tiny JS initials at the neck truncation, and the motto across the upper obverse — indicates a hub displacement that affected a broad arc of the die face. Sinnock's Roosevelt portrait, designed in 1946, places the date, initials, and motto in positions that span from the lower right to the upper periphery of the die, and medium doubling visible across this range points to a substantial misalignment between hub impressions. As DDO-001, this represents the benchmark variety for obverse hub doubling on the 1953-S dime, and the medium spread designation indicates the doubling should be detectable under moderate magnification without requiring extreme scrutiny. Collectors should examine all three diagnostic zones under 10-15x magnification for consistent extra thickness.

Die Markers

• UVC-248
• DMR-004
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Obverse and Reverse are MDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Mike Bruggeman
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References