2005 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-025

Description

Attributed by Richard Ray and cross-referenced under Wexler's catalog as 2005 P WDDO-025 Satin Finish Ocean in View, this Jefferson Nickel doubled die obverse from the Westward Journey series exhibits Class VIII tilted hub doubling — the same doubling class as the related WDDO-003 but on a different die pair. Very close Class VIII doubling shows on IN GOD WE TRUST and LIBERTY, requiring magnification for reliable detection. The "Ocean in View" reverse designation identifies this as the second 2005 nickel design, featuring an ocean panorama inspired by Captain William Clark's journal entry upon reaching the Pacific coast — "Ocian in View! O! The Joy!" — during the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The Satin Finish surface treatment restricts this variety to coins distributed through official United States Mint Sets, limiting the available population to those specific products. Obverse die markers include a die gouge below the E of LIBERTY, while the reverse carries a die dot to the right of the M in UNUM. Richard Ray's attribution of this variety adds his expertise to the growing catalog of Westward Journey Nickel doubled dies, which have attracted significant collector attention due to the series' limited two-year production run and the novel reverse designs that broke from Felix Schlag's decades-old Monticello motif. The twenty-fifth Wexler doubled die obverse for the 2005-P Ocean in View design testifies to the depth of variety research on these distinctive commemorative-style circulation issues, where the combination of new designs and Satin Finish surfaces created a rich field for variety discovery.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Richard Ray
• Wexler Variety ID: 2005 P WDDO-025 Satin Finish Ocean in View
• Expert attribution by Richard Ray

External References