1961 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-005

Description

Attributed by the Wexler Team as 1961 10¢ Pr WDDO-005, this doubled die obverse was discovered on a 1961 proof Roosevelt silver dime from the Roosevelt Silver Dimes 1946-1964 series. The primary diagnostic is a clockwise spread from a pivot point at approximately 1:00, visible on IN GOD WE TRUST and the designer's initials JS (John Sinnock). The pivot-style doubling indicates the hub rotated slightly between impressions, creating displacement that increases with distance from the pivot point. Notably, this obverse die is paired with a reverse that is also a doubled die, listed separately in the Wexler files as 1961 10¢ Pr WDDR-008, which shows a clockwise spread from the same approximate pivot on UNITED, E PLURIB, ONE, and the lower olive branch and leaves. This dual-doubled-die combination — both obverse and reverse showing hub doubling from the same die pair — makes this a particularly interesting variety for collectors. The 1961 proof dime was struck at the Philadelphia Mint in the 90% silver, 10% copper composition, weighing 2.50 grams with a diameter of 17.9 mm. Philadelphia produced 3,028,244 proof sets in 1961, each containing a dime. John R. Sinnock designed the Roosevelt dime obverse, introduced in 1946 to honor President Franklin D. Roosevelt, with a reverse featuring a torch flanked by olive and oak branches. Proof Roosevelt dimes from the silver era (1950-1964) are among the most actively searched denominations for doubled die varieties, with dozens of distinct varieties cataloged for some dates.

Attribution History

• s:; Wexler Variety ID: 1961 10¢ Pr WDDO-005
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References