1961 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-017

Description

Cataloged by VarietyVista, the 1961 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-017 on the Franklin Half Dollar shows strong spread on LIBERTY, the date, and the letters ST of TRUST, combined with light spread on IN GOD WE and the letters TRU of TRUST. This dual-intensity spread — strong on some elements and light on others — indicates a hub doubling event where the displacement magnitude varied across different zones of the die face. The Franklin Half Dollar, designed by John R. Sinnock, features Benjamin Franklin's portrait on the obverse and the Liberty Bell flanked by a small eagle on the reverse, struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 90% silver at 12.50 grams and 30.6 mm diameter. The 1961-P had a mintage of 8,290,000 pieces in the penultimate year of the series before the Kennedy Half Dollar replaced it in 1964. VarietyVista assigns die markers UVC-256 and DMR-029 with three documented die stages: Stage A at Early Die State showing a medium-sized circular die gouge on the upper collar with the reverse also at EDS, Stage B at Mid Die State (unconfirmed), and Stage C at Late Die State (unconfirmed). The circular die gouge on Franklin's upper collar at Stage A is particularly useful for authentication because it appears on the earliest known die state, meaning all genuine specimens of this variety should display this feature regardless of their position in the production sequence.

Die Markers

• UVC-256
• DMR-029
• Stage A:
• Medium sized circular die gouge on upper collar – EDS
• Reverse is EDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by James Wiles
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References