1955-D Doubled Die Reverse DDR-001

Description

Documented by VarietyVista with catalog codes UVC-909 and DMR-015, this 1955-D Jefferson Nickel DDR-001 — the first cataloged doubled die reverse for the date-mint combination — displays light spread on UNUM and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA with the doubling intensity increasing from left to right. This left-to-right increasing pattern reveals a hub displacement geometry where the secondary impression was shifted to produce progressively greater separation toward the right side of the die face, making the rightmost letters of AMERICA show the widest doubled die evidence while the leftmost inscription elements display only minimal displacement. Three documented die stages map this working die's life cycle: Stage A at early die state (EDS) is identified by a die scratch running from the top of the last A of AMERICA to the last O of MONTICELLO — a diagonal scratch crossing between two distant design elements that provides a strong positional die marker — with the obverse also in EDS; Stage B at mid-die-state (MDS, unconfirmed); and Stage C at late die state (LDS, unconfirmed). The EDS die scratch from A to O serves as the primary attribution marker, as its length and trajectory across the reverse field make it readily identifiable under low magnification. Felix Schlag designed the Jefferson Nickel with Thomas Jefferson's portrait on the obverse and his Monticello estate on the reverse, struck at the Denver Mint in 1955 in 75% copper and 25% nickel at 5.00 grams with a 21.21 mm diameter. The 1955-D had a mintage of approximately 74.5 million pieces, and as DDR-001 — the primary doubled die reverse for this date — it holds a catalog position of particular interest to Jefferson Nickel variety specialists building comprehensive sets organized by Sheldon-style die variety numbering.

Die Markers

• UVC-909
• DMR-015
• Stage A:
• Die scratch from top of last A of AMERICA to last O of MONTICELLO – EDS
• Obverse is EDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by John A. Wexler
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References