1962-D Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-003

Description

Attributed by Whaden Curtis and cataloged as Wexler 1962-D WDDO-003, this Jefferson Nickel carries Class II, Distorted Hub Doubling affecting IN GOD WE TRUST and the lower back of Jefferson's queue — the tied-back ponytail hairstyle that Thomas Jefferson wore, as depicted on Felix Schlag's obverse portrait. The queue provides a distinctive diagnostic zone because its smooth, curved surface and the ribbon tie at its base create sharp reference edges where hub distortion produces clearly delineated secondary contours. Obverse die markers include a series of die scratches below ST of TRUST and a short slanted die scratch below B of LIBERTY. The reverse carries a die scratch running southeast from the center of the second T of STATES. Class II distorted hub doubling on the motto and portrait hair detail simultaneously indicates the hub distortion was broad enough to affect elements in both the upper (motto) and lower-middle (queue) zones of the obverse die face. The 1962-D Jefferson Nickel was struck at the Denver Mint in a mintage of approximately 280.2 million pieces — one of the higher production figures in the series, supporting a proportionally large working die population and corresponding variety potential. Whaden Curtis's attribution credit places this variety within the broader community of variety attributors who supplement the work of the major cataloging authorities. Third in the DDO sequence for this date-mint, WDDO-003 joins a small but documented family of 1962-D obverse varieties, with the queue doubling providing a particularly appealing visual element for collectors who value portrait-area diagnostics over pure inscription-based spreads.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Whaden Curtis
• Wexler Variety ID: 1962-D WDDO-003
• Expert attribution by Whaden Curtis

External References