1963 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-011

Description

Final year of the Franklin Half Dollar series (1948-1963), the 1963 vintage was produced in large quantities before being replaced by the Kennedy Half Dollar in 1964, and DDO-011 preserves hub doubling from this swan song year. Medium spread shows on the L of LIBERTY and ST of TRUST, with light spread on the 63 of the date — diagnostics that provide three distinct locations for confirming the variety. Die markers tracked under UVC-208 and DMR-013 document three stages: Stage A in Early Die State (unconfirmed), Stage B in Mid-Die State (also unconfirmed), and Stage C with both obverse and reverse in Late Die State (LDS). Cataloged by VarietyVista, the eleven documented doubled die obverses for the 1963 Franklin Half Dollar reflect the high production volumes of the series' terminal year — Philadelphia struck approximately 22.2 million pieces, the second-highest mintage in the Franklin series after 1963-D. John R. Sinnock's portrait of Benjamin Franklin, adapted from a Jean-Antoine Houdon bust, features detailed hair waves and facial contours that respond to hub doubling in subtle but measurable ways. The LIBERTY inscription along the upper obverse rim is often the first place collectors check for Franklin Half DDO characteristics, as the bold serif letters show spread effects that are visible under modest 5-7x magnification. The date doubling on the 63 digits provides additional confirmation that the hub shifted between impressions.

Die Markers

• UVC-208
• DMR-013
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• Obverse and Reverse are LDS

Attribution History

• Discovered by Joe Feld
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References