1961 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-007

Description

Seventh in the obverse doubled die registry for the 1961 Franklin half dollar, DDO-007 presents medium spread on the motto IN GOD WE combined with rotational displacement on LIBERTY — a dual-characteristic doubling pattern that suggests the secondary hub impression both shifted and rotated relative to the primary. John R. Sinnock's Franklin half dollar obverse, featuring Benjamin Franklin's left-facing portrait with the Liberty Bell motif reserved for the reverse, served American commerce from 1948 until Gilroy Roberts' Kennedy half dollar replaced it in 1964. VarietyVista cataloged this die under UVC-161 and DMR-009, noting it as a proof striking — meaning this doubled die originated on one of the specially prepared dies used for San Francisco's collector-oriented production rather than the business strike dies that produced circulation coinage. Three die stages are tracked: Stage A where both obverse and reverse exhibit early die state characteristics, Stage B at mid die state for both surfaces, and Stage C at late die state (unconfirmed). The progression from confirmed EDS through confirmed MDS to unconfirmed LDS provides a partial die life record, indicating specimens have been verified at early and moderate wear stages but no late die state examples have been conclusively identified. The medium spread on IN GOD WE affects the upper obverse inscription, while the rotational component on LIBERTY — positioned along the left side of the portrait — indicates the hub pivoted slightly during the secondary impression. Collectors seeking this proof variety should examine IN GOD WE under 15x magnification for the medium-intensity displaced secondary lettering, then compare the LIBERTY letters for evidence of angular rather than linear displacement that characterizes the rotational doubling component.

Die Markers

• UVC-161
• DMR-009
• Stage A:
• Obverse and Reverse are EDS
• Stage B:
• Obverse and Reverse are MDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Timothy Wissert
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References