2008 Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-004

Description

Fourth in the Wexler-cataloged reverse doubled die series for the 2008 Jefferson nickel, WDDR-004 presents Class VIII tilted hub doubling below the triangular pediment situated above the door frame on Monticello's center door, directly over the entrance steps. Jamie Franki's redesigned Monticello reverse, introduced in 2006, provides the architectural framework that serves as the primary diagnostic area for this variety, with the triangular pediment and its supporting elements creating geometric reference lines sensitive to hub displacement. Class VIII tilted hub doubling — where the hub contacts the die at an uneven angle during the sinking process — produces doubling that varies in magnitude based on distance from the axis of the tilt, and the triangular pediment's position above the center door places it at a location where tilted hub effects are often most pronounced. Philadelphia struck approximately 279.6 million Jefferson nickels in 2008, generating the die consumption necessary for multiple independent doubled die events. Reverse die markers provide two distinctive diagnostics: a die gouge positioned below the IC of MONTICELLO and a dot-shaped gouge between the T and S of CENTS, both serving as fingerprints unique to this working die. No obverse markers were noted. The die gouge below IC and the dot gouge between T and S offer collectors reliable secondary confirmation points independent of the doubling itself — critical when the Class VIII doubling in the pediment area is subtle enough that it could potentially be confused with strike characteristics. Examination under 15-20x magnification should first locate the reverse die gouges to confirm the correct die, then scrutinize the area immediately below the triangular pediment for the displaced secondary hub impression characteristic of tilted hub doubling.

Die Markers

• Obverse: None noted.
• Reverse: Die gouge below IC of MONTICELLO; dot gouge between T and S of CENTS.

External References