1976-D Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-001

Description

Holding the primary Wexler obverse doubled die designation for the 1976-D Eisenhower dollar, WDDO-001 shows very close Class II doubling on the dual dates 1776-1976 and LIBERTY — the hallmark inscriptions of the Bicentennial celebration that transformed American coinage for the nation's 200th anniversary. Class II doubling results from a distorted hub, where the hub itself has developed asymmetric wear or deformation that creates systematic displacement across the die surface during the hubbing process. Frank Gasparro's obverse features Dwight D. Eisenhower's left-facing profile, while Dennis R. Williams designed the special Bicentennial reverse depicting the Liberty Bell superimposed on the Moon — a dual-symbol motif commemorating both the nation's founding and the recent Apollo lunar missions. Denver struck Bicentennial Eisenhower dollars in copper-nickel clad composition across 1975 and 1976, with production figures reaching approximately 113.3 million pieces for the Type II reverse variant. The obverse carries a diagnostic die scratch running through the lower portion of the E in LIBERTY, while the reverse shows a die scratch through the O in OF — providing die-specific fingerprints on both coin faces that enable attribution independent of the doubling visibility. The "very close" spread designation means the primary and secondary hub impressions nearly overlap, creating thickened letterforms on the dates and LIBERTY rather than clearly separated doubled images. This subtlety demands careful examination under magnification, as the very close spread can be mistaken for normal strike boldness or confused with die deterioration doubling. Collectors should first locate the die scratches on E and O to confirm the correct die pair, then inspect the 1776-1976 dates and LIBERTY under 15-20x magnification for evidence of systematically thickened digits and letters consistent with Class II hub distortion.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Not noted Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1976-D $1 WDDO-001
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References