1970 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-001

Description

Carrying the primary WDDO designation for the 1970 Roosevelt dime, WDDO-001 exhibits a close clockwise spread on the zero in the date — a subtle but confirmable doubling event on John R. Sinnock's dime design that has been in continuous production since 1946. The clockwise directional spread indicates the secondary hub impression rotated slightly relative to the primary, a Class II (Distorted Hub) mechanism in the Wexler classification system. Philadelphia struck approximately 345.6 million dimes in 1970, a substantial production run that consumed numerous die pairs. Obverse die markers provide crucial secondary diagnostics: light southwest-to-northeast die scratches can be found to the left of the nose, lips, and chin on Roosevelt's portrait, offering a fingerprint unique to this working die. No significant reverse die markers were recorded. The Wexler Team cataloged this variety under Wexler Variety ID: 1970 10¢ WDDO-001, with no additional cross-references currently known from other attribution services. As WDDO-001, this represents the first and presumably most notable obverse doubled die documented for the 1970 Philadelphia dime, though its close spread designation indicates the doubling is not dramatic and requires careful examination to confirm. Collectors should first locate the die scratches near Roosevelt's profile to verify the correct die, then examine the zero in the date under 15-20x magnification to identify the clockwise displacement of the secondary impression. The close spread means the primary and secondary images nearly overlap, producing thickened digit contours rather than clearly separated doubled images.

Attribution History

• Discovered by John A. Wexler Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1970 10¢ WDDO-001
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References