1916 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-002

Description

Medium spread on the eye and nose of the Native American portrait — two of the most scrutinized features on James Earle Fraser's iconic Buffalo Nickel design — defines this second cataloged doubled die obverse for the 1916 Philadelphia Mint issue. Cataloged by VarietyVista under UVC-254 with die marker reference DMR-004, three documented die stages trace the die's progression. Stage A shows both obverse and reverse in Early Die State (EDS), while Stages B and C for Mid and Late Die State remain unconfirmed, indicating specimens representing later stages have not yet been definitively identified. The 1916 date is significant in Buffalo Nickel collecting as one of the early production years following the design's 1913 introduction, when die preparation techniques were still being refined for Fraser's high-relief portrait and standing bison. Facial feature doubling on the eye and nose creates immediate visual impact under magnification, as the portrait's anatomy provides natural reference lines that make hub displacement readily detectable. DDO-002 offers collectors a documented variety on an early-date Buffalo Nickel, combining series appeal with die variety significance.

Die Markers

• UVC-254
• DMR-004
• Stage A:
• Obverse and Reverse are EDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Lewis Fletcher
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References