1963 Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-082

Description

Attributed by John A. Wexler himself and cataloged as Wexler Variety ID 1963 WDDR-082, this Jefferson Nickel variety exhibits Class II (Distorted Hub Doubling) with a particularly noteworthy tripled spread pattern. The tripled effect on UNITED STATES OF AMERICA shows the doubling increasing in intensity from left to right across the inscription, while a closer spread appears on UNUM and the right side of the Monticello building — a dual-intensity pattern typical of Class II distortion where the magnitude of displacement varies with position across the die face. The presence of tripling rather than simple doubling indicates that the hub made at least three distinguishable impressions during the die-making process, each at a slightly different alignment, creating three overlapping images on the affected design elements. Reverse die markers include a die dot on the roof above the right side of the left arch and a die scratch to the left of the small left window on Felix Schlag's Monticello design. No significant obverse die markers have been noted. The 1963 Jefferson Nickel was struck at the Philadelphia Mint in copper-nickel alloy (75% Cu, 25% Ni) at 5.0 grams and 21.2 mm diameter. The eighty-second DDR designation for a single date-mint is a striking figure that speaks to the thoroughness of the variety attribution community's examination of Jefferson Nickel dies from this era. The left-to-right gradient of the tripled spread provides a distinctive visual signature that distinguishes WDDR-082 from other varieties in the extensive 1963 DDR family, as each variety's specific spread direction and intensity pattern serves as its diagnostic fingerprint.

Attribution History

• Discovered by John A. Wexler
• Wexler Variety ID: 1963 WDDR-082
• Expert attribution by John A. Wexler

External References