1960 Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-017

Description

Seventeenth doubled die reverse in the Wexler catalog for the 1960 Jefferson Nickel, WDDR-017 documents a hubbing error within the original Felix Schlag design that served the denomination from 1938 through 2003. The doubling characteristics and specific attribution details beyond the base designation remain to be fully cross-referenced, as this variety carries no additional cross-reference notations to other attribution services such as CONECA, the Cherrypicker's Guide, or other published references. Jefferson Nickel doubled dies from the early 1960s represent a productive research area because the Mint was producing nickels in large quantities at multiple facilities during this period. The 1960 Philadelphia Mint nickel saw robust production to meet circulation demand, and the die manufacturing process — where a master hub was impressed into working dies under hydraulic pressure — occasionally produced misalignment between successive impressions. Seventeen DDR varieties for a single date indicates that multiple working dies received defective hubbing during the 1960 production year, each creating its own unique doubling pattern on the Monticello reverse. Schlag's Monticello design features architectural detail including columns, windows, steps, and the dome that provide numerous reference points where doubling can be measured and characterized. The WDDR-017 designation places this variety well within the documented range for 1960 Jefferson DDR varieties, suggesting a thorough examination of this date by the die variety research community. Collectors pursuing this variety should examine the reverse design elements under magnification for the characteristic doubled outlines or shelf-like separations that distinguish hub doubling from machine doubling or strike doubling.

External References