1971-D Doubled Die Obverse DDO-009

Description

Ninth in the obverse doubled die census for the 1971-D Kennedy half dollar, DDO-009 displays strong spread on LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, and the date — three major inscription areas covering a broad arc of Gilroy Roberts' Kennedy portrait obverse. VarietyVista assigned identifiers UVC-346 and DMR-013, with an unusually detailed four-stage die progression: Stage A at early die state (unconfirmed), Stage B where both obverse and reverse surfaces have reached mid die state, Stage C where both have progressed to late die state, and Stage D where both have deteriorated to very late die state (VLDS). The four confirmed die states (three beyond EDS) document an extended production life for this die pair, providing collectors with multiple die state reference points for dating their specimens. Denver struck approximately 302.1 million Kennedy half dollars in 1971, the first year of the copper-nickel clad composition that replaced the 40% silver-clad alloy used from 1965 through 1970. The strong spread designation across LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, and the date places DDO-009 at the upper tier of doubling magnitude, where the displaced secondary impressions produce clearly visible separated images rather than subtle thickening — making this one of the more dramatic and visually rewarding Kennedy half DDO varieties for the date. The comments note "ODV-002," indicating this die carries its own Obverse Design Variant classification, adding a second attributable characteristic. The transition to copper-nickel clad composition in 1971 altered the die wear characteristics compared to the softer silver-clad alloy, and the extensive die state documentation (reaching VLDS at Stage D) suggests this particular die pair was pushed to near-exhaustion. Collectors should examine LIBERTY and the date under 10x magnification, where the strong spread should be readily apparent.

Die Markers

• UVC-346
• DMR-013
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Obverse and Reverse are MDS
• Stage C:
• Obverse and Reverse are LDS
• Stage D:
• Obverse and Reverse are VLDS

Attribution History

• Discovered by Lee Roschen
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References