1983-S Doubled Die Obverse DDO-004

Description

VarietyVista cataloged this proof 1983-S Washington Quarter doubled die obverse under UVC-1879 and DMR-006, documenting a light spread on IN GOD WE TRUST, the date, and the ribbon end below Washington's portrait. Stage A records both the obverse and reverse in early die state, with Stage B at mid-die state (unconfirmed) and Stage C at late die state (unconfirmed). The 1983-S proof quarter was struck exclusively at the San Francisco Mint for inclusion in annual proof sets — no business strikes were produced at San Francisco that year. Proof coins are struck using specially polished dies on polished planchets, receiving multiple impressions for maximum design sharpness, which paradoxically makes any doubling from hub misalignment more visible than on business strikes. The doubled IN GOD WE TRUST motto, date digits, and ribbon end indicate the second hub impression was offset enough to affect multiple design elements across the obverse. Washington Quarter proof dies underwent the same basic hubbing process as circulation strike dies, where a master hub was pressed into a working die to transfer the design, and slight misalignment between impressions could occur regardless of the die's intended use. Four documented doubled die obverses for the 1983-S proof quarter reflects the close examination proof coins receive from collectors who study them under magnification.

Die Markers

• UVC-1879
• DMR-006
• Stage A:
• Obverse and Reverse are EDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Timothy Wissert
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References