1960 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-010

Description

Cataloged by the Wexler Team as 1960 50¢ Pr WDDO-010, this proof Franklin Half Dollar presents a spread toward the center visible on LIBERTY, the date, and WE TRUST, with all spreads increasing from left to right across the obverse — a directional gradient indicating the hub displacement vector was oriented along a specific axis relative to the die face during the hubbing process. Obverse die markers provide multiple attribution checkpoints: a die gouge to the right of the upper O and another to the right of the lower O in GOD, a die gouge on the cheek just to the left of the nose, and die scratches on the rim above the LI of LIBERTY. The reverse carries its own doubled die variety, cataloged in the Wexler Files as 1960 50¢ Pr WDDR-007, making this another dual-variety die pair where both the obverse and reverse received anomalous hub impressions during their respective manufacturing sequences. John R. Sinnock designed the Franklin Half Dollar, first issued in 1948, featuring Benjamin Franklin's portrait on the obverse and the Liberty Bell on the reverse — with a small eagle required by law to appear alongside the bell. The 1960 proof was struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 90% silver composition, weighing 12.50 grams with a 30.6 mm diameter and a reeded edge. The Franklin Half Dollar series ran only from 1948 through 1963 before being replaced by the Kennedy Half Dollar in 1964, making the 15-year run one of the shorter modern half dollar series. Proof Franklin halves are particularly suited to variety collecting because their precisely struck, high-contrast surfaces reveal subtle hub displacement effects that might be invisible on circulated business strikes.

Attribution History

• s:; Wexler Variety ID: 1960 50¢ Pr WDDO-010
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References