1962 Proof Washington Quarter - Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-002

Description

Proof coinage from the Philadelphia Mint yielded this second documented doubled die reverse for the 1962 Washington silver quarter, with a close spread toward the center affecting the branch ends, QUARTER DOLLAR, USA, and slightly EPU (E PLURIBUS UNUM). John Flanagan's heraldic eagle reverse, which had served the Washington quarter since 1932, features multiple text elements and the two olive branches that provide ample diagnostic zones for doubled die detection. The inward spread direction — toward the center rather than outward from it — indicates the secondary hub impression shifted the affected elements radially inward, a less common spread direction that results from a specific type of hub misalignment. The Wexler Team cataloged this as Wexler Variety ID: 1962 25¢ Pr WDDR-002, with no other known cross-references and no significant die markers on either surface. Philadelphia struck all proof coins in this era, with approximately 3.22 million proof sets produced in 1962, each containing the 90% silver quarter. The branch ends provide particularly effective diagnostics for center-directed spread, as these small terminal elements are displaced just enough to create visible doubling against the coin's mirrored proof surface. QUARTER DOLLAR's involvement confirms the spread extends across the lower reverse, while the slight EPU involvement near the top establishes that the displacement affected a broad arc of the die face. Close-class designation indicates the secondary impression's offset was minimal, requiring careful examination under magnification to distinguish from die deterioration or strike anomalies.

Cross References

• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1962 25¢ Pr WDDR-002

External References