1966 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-006

Description

Struck during the 40% silver era of Kennedy Half Dollar production (1965-1970), this 1966 DDO-006 displays light but widespread doubling across numerous obverse design elements. The spread is visible on GOD WE TRUST, 966 of the date, IBERTY of LIBERTY, the ear, chin, designer's initials, and the hair details on the back of the head. This business strike variety was produced at Philadelphia during the period when half dollars carried a reduced silver content of 40% — down from the original 90% silver of 1964 — as part of the Coinage Act of 1965 transition. Gilroy Roberts' obverse portrait of President Kennedy shows the doubling most clearly on fine detail areas where even light hub displacement produces detectable separation. Die Markers: UVC-080, DMR-008. Stage A: EDS (unconfirmed). Stage B: Numerous die scratches running East-West between middle areas of the design. The progression from early die state to the die-scratch-laden Stage B documents the working life of this particular die pair. Attributed by VarietyVista, DDO-006 is one of the scarcer doubled die obverses cataloged for the 1966 Kennedy Half Dollar.

Die Markers

• UVC-080
• DMR-008
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Numerous die scratches East-West between middle bar of E and hair – MDS
• Die scratches below left leg of R curving to follow hair line
• Reverse is MDS
• Stage C:
• Die scratch North-South between IN and GOD – MDS
• Die scratches Southeast on Reverse – MDS
• Stage D:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Ed Raser
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References