1974-D Variety WMDO-001

Description

Distinguished from ordinary doubled dies by its origin at the master die level rather than the working die level, this 1974-D Eisenhower Dollar master die doubling obverse carries the Wexler designation WMDO-001 and CONECA cross-reference MD-1-O-II. Master die doubling occurs earlier in the die production chain than working die doubling: when the master hub impresses its design into the master die with a slight misalignment between impressions, every working hub derived from that master die — and every working die made from those hubs — inherits the same doubling. This multiplicative effect means that WMDO-001 can appear on coins struck from multiple different working dies, each carrying its own unique die markers but all sharing the same Class II doubling towards the center on IN GOD WE TRUST. The Wexler Team notes that die markers will vary across the different working dies produced from this master die, making attribution dependent on the doubling pattern rather than secondary die characteristics. The 1974-D Eisenhower Dollar was struck at the Denver Mint in copper-nickel clad composition — the standard for circulation-strike Ikes, as opposed to the 40% silver versions produced exclusively at San Francisco for collectors. The Eisenhower Dollar series ran from 1971 through 1978 and represented the last large-format dollar coin before the smaller Susan B. Anthony dollar. Class II doubling towards the center indicates a hub rotation during the master die preparation process, producing design elements that appear to contract or thicken inward. The CONECA designation MD-1-O-II confirms this as the first recognized master die doubling on the obverse with a Class II mechanism.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Not noted Cross References: CONECA: MD-1-O-II
• CONECA: MD-1-O-II; Wexler Variety ID: 1974-D $1 WMDO-001
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References