1959 Proof Jefferson Nickel - Doubled Die Reverse DDR-003

Description

Remarkable for both its strong spread intensity and the unusual triple-spread characteristic on select design elements, DDR-003 for the 1959 Jefferson nickel reverse ranks among the more visually dramatic doubled dies in the series. Strong spread affects E PLURIBUS UNUM, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, FIVE CENTS, and the last O of MONTICELLO on Felix Schlag's architectural reverse — and the doubling decreases in intensity from left to right across the reverse face, a gradient that reveals the directional bias of the hub misalignment. Even more notably, the letters of UNITED and the M of MONTICELLO display triple spread, indicating three distinct hub impressions rather than the standard two — a relatively uncommon phenomenon that occurs when the die receives three separate but imperfectly aligned hub impressions during manufacture. VarietyVista assigned identifiers UVC-977 and DMR-006 to document this die within their classification framework. The left-to-right decrease in doubling spread means design elements at the left periphery of the reverse show the most pronounced displacement while those at the right show progressively less, consistent with a pivoted or tilted hub misalignment centered somewhere off the right side of the die. The triple spread on UNITED and the M of MONTICELLO provides the most distinctive diagnostic, as three overlapping but offset impressions create a layered effect visible even under moderate magnification. Collectors should examine the E PLURIBUS UNUM motto at the upper reverse under 10x magnification as an initial screening point, then confirm by checking UNITED and the M of MONTICELLO for the triple impression that distinguishes DDR-003 from other 1959 Jefferson nickel DDRs.

Die Markers

• UVC-977; DMR-006

External References