1961 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-006

Description

Appearing on one of the last Proof Franklin Half Dollars ever struck, DDO-006 on the 1961 issue shows light spread on LIBERTY and the final digit 1 of the date. The Franklin Half Dollar series would end the following year when it was replaced by the Kennedy Half Dollar in 1964 — no Franklin halves were produced in 1963 for circulation, and the 1961 proof stands among the final proof issues of John R. Sinnock's design honoring Benjamin Franklin. Cataloged as UVC-160 with DMR-008, the variety has been documented in the VarietyVista census. The proof striking process at the Philadelphia Mint during this era used polished dies and specially prepared planchets to produce the deeply mirrored fields and sharp design relief that characterize Franklin proof halves. Light spread on LIBERTY and the trailing 1 of the date creates a doubled edge visible primarily under magnification, where the proof surface's reflectivity makes even subtle displacement detectable against the mirror-finish fields. The 90% silver composition adds intrinsic metal value to the numismatic variety premium. Attributed by VarietyVista.

Die Markers

• UVC-160
• DMR-008
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Obverse and Reverse are MDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Lee Hiemke
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References