1964 Variety WMDO-001

Description

This 1964 Proof Kennedy Half Dollar WMDO-001 is a Master Die Doubling Obverse variety struck from the famous Accented Hair proof dies — one of the most celebrated varieties in the entire Kennedy Half Dollar series. Master die doubling differs fundamentally from working die doubling: because the doubling occurred on the master die itself, every working die produced from that master die inherited the same doubled characteristics, meaning all coins struck from any of those working dies display the variety. The Accented Hair designation refers to the early proof dies that showed stronger, more detailed hair strands above Kennedy's ear, before the design was slightly modified mid-production in 1964. The combination of master die doubling with the Accented Hair die state places WMDO-001 at the intersection of two collecting specialties — variety attribution and die state analysis. Gilroy Roberts' original high-relief hair detail above the ear is the key visual indicator of the Accented Hair die type, and the master die doubling adds a secondary layer of collectibility. As a proof striking from Philadelphia, these coins were produced on polished planchets with specially prepared dies. Attributed by the Wexler Team under the designation 1964 50 cent Pr WMDO-001, this variety is essential for Kennedy Half specialists and represents the most historically significant die variety from the series' inaugural year.

Attribution History

• Wexler Variety ID: 1964 50¢ Pr WMDO-001
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References