1961 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-007

Description

Displaying a distinctive Class V pivoted hub doubling pattern, the 1961 Jefferson Nickel proof WDDO-007 shows a very nice counter-clockwise spread from a pivot at the 10 o'clock position, affecting LIBERTY, the star, the date, and slightly IN GOD. Class V doubling occurs when the hub rotates around a fixed pivot point during impression, producing spread that increases with radial distance from the pivot — and the 10 o'clock pivot location means LIBERTY and the date, positioned far from this point, receive the most visible displacement, while IN GOD, located closer, shows only slight spread. The counter-clockwise rotation direction is diagnostically important, as it determines which side of each letter or digit shows the secondary image, allowing collectors to confirm the doubling class through directional analysis. Obverse die markers include a short die gouge on the lowest part of Jefferson's coat and a short die gouge to the left of center of the I of IN. The reverse carries no noted markers. The 1961 proof nickel was struck at the Philadelphia Mint during the pre-suspension era of proof production, when proof sets were manufactured annually in this city before the 1965-1967 hiatus and subsequent transfer of proof operations to San Francisco. Seven doubled die obverses for the 1961 proof nickel reflects the productive die variety research that proof Jefferson Nickels from the early 1960s have received. The Class V pivoted mechanism preserved on WDDO-007 provides one of the clearest examples of rotational hub doubling in the proof Jefferson series, with the spread increasing predictably from the pivot point toward the periphery of the die face.

Die Markers

• Obverse: Short die gouge on lowest part of Jefferson’s coat; short die gouge left of center of I of IN.
• Reverse: None noted.

External References