2008 (P) New Mexico State Quarter - Doubled Die Obverse DDO-001

Description

DDO-001, a doubled die obverse for the 2008-P State Quarter, presents light spread concentrated on George Washington's lower earlobe — a tightly localized diagnostic that makes this variety both distinctive and challenging to detect without magnification. Die markers UVC-1711 and DMR-003 fingerprint this specific working die across three die stages. In Stage A (early die state, EMDS), very light die scratches running north-south appear on the obverse while the reverse also shows early die state characteristics. Stage B is documented as mid-die state (MDS), though this remains unconfirmed. By Stage C, the die had progressed to late die state (LDS), also unconfirmed, where accumulated die fatigue and flow lines would have softened the original die markers. The lower earlobe on John Flanagan's Washington portrait provides an unusually precise attribution checkpoint — the curved detail of the ear anatomy translates hub displacement into a cleanly visible doubled contour that can be compared against published reference images with high confidence. This variety is within the State Quarters 1999-2008 series, which produced a different reverse design for each state issued in the order of ratification or admission. Struck in copper-nickel clad composition at 5.67 grams, the Washington obverse design remained constant across all fifty State Quarter reverses. Examination at 10x magnification focused on the lower curve of the earlobe provides the most efficient attribution pathway.

Die Markers

• UVC-1711
• DMR-003
• Stage A:
• Very light die scratches North-South on Obverse – EMDS
• Reverse is EMDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

External References