1962 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-019

Description

Nineteenth obverse doubled die documented for the 1962 Jefferson nickel, WDDO-019 exhibits Class II (Distorted Hub) doubling with close spread visible on the motto IN GOD WE TRUST. Felix Schlag's Jefferson nickel design, which won the 1938 competition to replace the Buffalo nickel, features the motto in small raised letters along the left obverse field, where the fine letter strokes reveal hub distortion as thickened or slightly displaced character contours. Philadelphia produced approximately 97.4 million nickels in 1962, a standard-issue year for the denomination with no unusual production circumstances. Class II doubling occurs when the hub itself develops a distorted impression rather than being simply misaligned with the die — this produces a characteristically different spread pattern than the clean directional displacement of Class I (Rotated Hub) doubling, typically manifesting as irregularly thickened or warped letter forms rather than sharply doubled secondary images. The die markers provide important secondary diagnostics: the obverse shows no significant markers, but the reverse carries two identifiers — a die dot above the left side of the F in FIVE, and a die scratch below the ER of AMERICA. These reverse features serve as fingerprints for confirming the correct die independent of the obverse doubling. The close spread classification indicates the primary and secondary impressions nearly overlap, producing subtle thickening rather than dramatic separation, which means examination requires focused attention under 15-20x magnification. Collectors should first verify the die by checking the reverse for the die dot near FIVE and the scratch below ER, then examine each letter of IN GOD WE TRUST for the characteristic Class II distortion — irregular thickening that varies across different portions of the same letter, unlike the uniform directional displacement typical of Class I varieties.

Die Markers

• Obverse: None noted.
• Reverse: Die dot above left side of F of FIVE; die scratch below ER of AMERICA.

External References