2005-S Doubled Die Reverse DDR-006

Description

Documented by VarietyVista with die markers UVC-1639 and DMR-007, this 2005-S Jefferson Nickel DDR-006 from the Westward Journey series displays light spread south as a portion of the third lowest left branch of the right tree on the reverse — a highly localized doubling effect visible on a single design element within the American Bison reverse design used for the 2005 second-issue Westward Journey nickels. Three die stages are recorded: Stage A in early die state (EDS) showing a small die gouge north from the small mountain top under the S of PLURIBUS and the obverse in EDS; Stage B in mid-die-state (MDS), unconfirmed; and Stage C in late die state (LDS), also unconfirmed. The Stage A die gouge near the mountain top under PLURIBUS serves as a primary die identification marker, positioned within the landscape portion of the reverse design where the mountain range silhouette provides a clear reference geometry. The 2005 Westward Journey Jefferson Nickels featured two special reverse designs commemorating the Lewis and Clark Expedition: the American Bison design (by Jamie Franki) and the Ocean in View design. The obverse carried a new forward-facing portrait of Jefferson by Joe Fitzgerald, replacing Felix Schlag's original left-facing profile. Struck at the San Francisco Mint in copper-nickel composition (75% copper, 25% nickel) weighing 5.00 grams with a diameter of 21.2 mm, the 2005-S was produced for proof sets. The highly localized nature of this doubling — affecting only a single tree branch segment — demonstrates how hub displacement can produce detectable doubling on specific design elements positioned at particular angles relative to the displacement vector while leaving adjacent elements visually unaffected.

Die Markers

• UVC-1639
• DMR-007
• Stage A:
• Small die gouge North from the small mountain top under the S of PLURIBUS – EDS
• Obverse is EDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Edward Fletcher, Jr.
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References