1913 Doubled Die Reverse DDR-001

Description

Medium spread on FIVE CENTS, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, and the dots of the Buffalo Nickel's reverse establishes DDR-001 as the premier doubled die reverse for the 1913 Type II Buffalo Nickel — the recessed-ground variety that replaced the raised-ground Type I partway through the first year of James Earle Fraser's acclaimed design. VarietyVista cataloged this under UVC-006 and DMR-006, and the Cherrypickers' Guide cross-references it as FS-1801, the highest-priority reverse variety listing that signals significance for mainstream cherry-pickers. Three die stages document progressive deterioration: Stage A with reverse and obverse at Early Die State, Stage B at Mid Die State showing a die clash through the left leg of the R in PLURIBUS and a die clash below the chin, and Stage C at Late Die State (unconfirmed). The reverse die variant is identified as RDV-002, the Bison on flat ground design that characterizes the Type II issue where Fraser's original raised-ground mound was lowered to address concerns about rapid wear to the denomination text. The Stage B clash marks — particularly the transferred design element through the R of PLURIBUS — add die clash documentation atop the primary doubled die characteristics, creating a multi-variety die that rewards careful examination across its full production life. Philadelphia's 1913 nickel production encompassed both Type I and Type II designs, and DDR-001's FS-1801 designation confirms its position as the most significant reverse variety on the inaugural date of one of America's most artistically celebrated coin designs. The confirmed Early Die State in Stage A indicates the doubling was present from the die's first impressions, predating the Mid Die State clash marks that appeared later in the die's life.

Die Markers

• UVC-006
• DMR-006
• Stage A:
• Reverse and Obverse are EDS
• Stage B:
• Die clash through the left leg of the R of PLURIBUS – MDS
• Die clash below chin – MDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Delma K. Romines, Ron Pope
• FS-1801
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References