1966 Doubled Die Reverse DDR-001

Description

Produced during the Special Mint Set (SMS) era when the United States Mint suspended proof and mint set production, DDR-001 for the 1966 Roosevelt dime exhibits light spread on STATES OF AMERICA and the flame tips of the torch on the reverse. The 1965-1967 SMS coins occupy a unique space in American numismatics — struck with enhanced quality but technically neither proof nor standard business strikes, they were produced at the San Francisco Assay Office (which did not use a mintmark during this period) to satisfy collector demand while the Mint addressed the nationwide coin shortage. VarietyVista assigned identifiers UVC-498 and DMR-003, documenting three die stages all confirmed across the full die state spectrum: Stage A with both surfaces at early die state, Stage B at mid die state, and Stage C at late die state. Having all three stages confirmed is relatively unusual and indicates that multiple specimens at each wear level have been examined and verified — providing the most complete die state documentation possible. John R. Sinnock's Roosevelt dime reverse features a torch flanked by olive and oak branches, and the flame tips at the top of the torch provide fine detail where light hub doubling manifests as slightly thickened or displaced flame contours. The SMS designation confirms this variety belongs to the Special Mint Set production, and collectors should understand that SMS coins typically exhibit characteristics between business strikes and proofs — sharper than normal circulation strikes but without the full mirror/frosted contrast of proof coins. Examination of STATES OF AMERICA and the flame tips under 12-18x magnification should reveal the light displacement, with the flame tips often showing the doubling most clearly due to their pointed geometry.

Die Markers

• UVC-498
• DMR-003
• Stage A:
• Reverse and Obverse are EDS
• Stage B:
• Reverse and Obverse are MDS
• Stage C:
• Reverse and Obverse are LDS

Attribution History

• Discovered by Mark Williams
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References