1957 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-001

Description

Holding the coveted -001 attribution number for the 1957 proof Jefferson Nickel doubled die obverse series, this variety displays close Class II distorted hub doubling on LIBERTY, the star, the date, and IN. Class II doubling results from a hub that warped or distorted between successive impressions into the working die, producing a secondary image that appears slightly stretched or deformed rather than cleanly shifted. The close spread indicates the two hub impressions are nearly superimposed, requiring careful examination under magnification to distinguish the doubled elements from the primary design. Specific die markers include a die scratch above the I of LIBERTY and a slanted die scratch on the upper left portion of Jefferson's collar on the obverse, while the reverse is noted as being listed as 1957 Pr 5c WDDR-003 — establishing a die marriage between a doubled die obverse and a doubled die reverse. This dual-doubled die pairing creates a coin where both sides display hub doubling, doubling the attribution interest for collectors. Felix Schlag's obverse portrait of Thomas Jefferson had been in use since 1938 when he won the design competition for the new nickel, and by 1957 the design was well into its second decade of production. As a proof issue struck at the Philadelphia Mint, this coin received multiple impressions on polished planchets using polished dies, creating mirror-like fields against which the Class II doubling can be examined. The WDDR-003 reverse pairing means that both the obverse and reverse working dies in this marriage received imperfect hub impressions — an uncommon circumstance that makes this die pair a particularly sought-after target for Jefferson Nickel proof die variety collectors.

Die Markers

• Obverse: Die scratch above I of LIBERTY; slanted die scratch on upper left portion of Jefferson's collar.
• Reverse: Listed as 1957 Pr 5c WDDR-003.

External References