1968-D Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-002

Description

Second Wexler-cataloged doubled die obverse for the 1968 Denver Mint Kennedy Half Dollar, WDDO-002 exhibits extra thickness on the date, IN GOD WE TRUST, designer Frank Gasparro's initials, LIBERTY, and the hair detail beneath the R of LIBERTY. This broad distribution of doubling across multiple design elements indicates a hub doubling event that affected a substantial area of the obverse working die during its preparation. The 1968-D Kennedy Half was struck during the silver-clad composition era (1965-1970), when half dollars contained a 40% silver outer layer bonded to a copper core — a transitional composition introduced after the Coinage Act of 1965 eliminated 90% silver from most circulating denominations. Die diagnostics include a north-south die scratch to the right of the mintmark on the obverse, with no significant reverse markers noted. Submitted by variety researcher Timothy J. Wissert and cross-referenced as CONECA 3-O-II, this variety carries the Wexler designation 1968-D 50c WDDO-002. The Kennedy Half Dollar series, introduced in 1964 as a memorial to the assassinated President John F. Kennedy, attracts substantial variety collector attention due to the design's bold relief and the series' multi-composition history. Silver-clad issues from the late 1960s were widely saved by the public and are more available to variety hunters than their mintage figures might suggest, making careful die state analysis essential for proper attribution.

Attribution History

• Wexler Variety ID: 1968-D 50¢ WDDO-002
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References