1960 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-002

Description

Second in the Wexler-documented obverse doubled die census for the 1960 proof Roosevelt dime, WDDO-002 presents a close spread on John R. Sinnock's designer initials "JS" at the base of the neck truncation, accompanied by extra thickness on the word TRUST in the motto IN GOD WE TRUST. The Wexler Team cataloged this under Wexler Variety ID: 1960 10¢ Pr WDDO-002, with the "Pr" designation confirming this is a proof-only variety struck at Philadelphia. Obverse die markers include a die gouge to the right of the top of the L in LIBERTY — a small but precise diagnostic that pinpoints the specific working die. No significant reverse markers were recorded. Philadelphia struck 1,691,602 proof sets in 1960, and the proof dime dies were specially prepared with polished surfaces and frosted devices to produce the mirror-finish specimens sold to collectors. The close spread classification indicates the primary and secondary hub impressions nearly overlap, producing thickened design elements rather than clearly separated doubled images. On the JS initials — small letters that sit in a recessed area of the design near the neck truncation — close spread manifests as slightly widened letterforms that can be difficult to distinguish from normal strike variation without side-by-side comparison against a confirmed non-doubled proof. The extra thickness on TRUST provides a second diagnostic zone across a broader inscription area. Proof surfaces amplify even subtle doubling: the mirror fields surrounding TRUST make any additional thickness more apparent than it would be on business strikes, and the small JS initials benefit similarly from the proof's enhanced definition. Collectors should first identify the die gouge near the L in LIBERTY, then examine the JS initials and TRUST inscription under 15-20x magnification to confirm the close spread doubling.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Frank Baumann Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1960 10¢ Pr WDDO-002
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References