1961 Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-002

Description

Bearing a Class II + V designation (combining Distorted and Pivoted Hub Doubling), this 1961 Jefferson Nickel proof variety was formerly listed as WDDR-121 before being reassigned to replace the original WDDR-002 listing, which was delisted because it was determined to be a doubled working hub rather than a doubled die. The dual-class mechanism produced a nice spread visible on UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and FIVE CENTS, with a lesser but still detectable spread on CELLO of MONTICELLO and the right side of the Monticello building. The combination of Class II (distorted) and Class V (pivoted) hubbing means the secondary hub impression was both geometrically distorted and rotated around a pivot point, creating a complex doubling pattern that varies in both direction and magnitude across different areas of the reverse die face. Die markers include no obverse markers noted, while the reverse shows a die scratch on the rim above and to the left of the E in E PLURIBUS UNUM. The Jefferson Nickel was designed by Felix Schlag and struck in proof at the Philadelphia Mint in 1961, composed of 75% copper and 25% nickel at 5.00 grams with a 21.21 mm diameter. The cataloging history of this variety — originally WDDR-121, reassigned to WDDR-002 after the previous occupant was reclassified as a doubled hub — illustrates the ongoing scholarly refinement within the Wexler doubled die cataloging system. The technical distinction matters: a doubled working hub would imprint its doubling onto every die produced from it, potentially creating multiple dies with similar doubling, whereas a doubled working die is a unique event affecting only the single die involved, making each doubled die variety a more limited occurrence.

Die Markers

• Obverse: None noted.
• Reverse: Die scratch on rim above and to the left of E of E PLURIBUS UNUM.

External References