1972 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-001

Description

Carrying the Wexler identifier 1972 $1 WDDO-001 and paired with a Type 3 reverse die, this Eisenhower dollar doubled die obverse represents one of the recognized die marriages for the most actively collected DDO designation in the Ike dollar series. The distinction between Type 1, Type 2, and Type 3 reverses on the 1972 Eisenhower dollar lies in the relative positioning of the Earth, the islands of Florida, and the Caribbean landmasses below the eagle — minute differences in the reverse hub that arose from modifications during the year's die production. WDDO-001 paired with a Type 3 reverse may differ in scarcity and desirability from the same obverse die married to a Type 1 or Type 2 reverse, as collectors who pursue full die marriage documentation treat each pairing as a distinct collectible. Frank Gasparro's Eisenhower portrait, with its bold lettering and high-relief devices spread across a 38.1mm copper-nickel clad planchet, provides ample surface area for hub doubling to be detected — the oversized format of the dollar makes varieties accessible to collectors who find dime and cent varieties challenging to examine. The 1972 Philadelphia Eisenhower dollar was struck for general circulation, primarily consumed by the gaming and vending industries of the 1970s, and lower-grade circulated examples remain the most commonly encountered, though the doubling diagnostics survive well into VF and even F grades if the affected design elements retain sufficient detail.

Attribution History

• Wexler Variety ID: 1972 $1 WDDO-001
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References