Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-001

Description

Cataloged by the Wexler Team as 1924 50-cent Huguenot-Walloon WDDR-001, this Classic Silver Commemorative half dollar displays a close Class II spread towards the center visible on the pioneer figure, his oxen, the inscription OREGON, and the date — affecting multiple design elements across the reverse face. The Class II (Distorted Hub Doubling) mechanism produces a convergent spread pattern where the secondary impression compresses inward toward the die's center rather than displacing outward, creating extra thickness and overlap on the affected features. Die markers on the obverse include a die crack extending north into the bust from the R in DOLLAR. The reverse exhibits extensive deterioration: a die crack runs through the bottom of the letters of HUGUENOT; die cracks connect the RY in TERCENTENARY to the 4 in 1924; an east-west die crack passes through the highest flag on the Nieuw Nederland ship; and many east-west die scratches run through HUGUENOT. These multiple reverse die cracks and scratches document a die experiencing substantial structural fatigue and surface wear simultaneously. No external cross-references beyond the Wexler listing are currently known. The 1924 Huguenot-Walloon Tercentenary Half Dollar was issued to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the founding of New Netherland by Walloon settlers in 1624. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 90% silver and 10% copper, the commemorative weighs 12.5 grams with a diameter of 30.6 mm. The coin's obverse depicts Admiral Gaspard de Coligny and William the Silent, while the reverse shows the ship Nieuw Nederland. With a mintage of only 142,080 pieces, die varieties on this issue are inherently scarce, and the combination of pioneer figure doubling with the extensive die crack network makes this WDDR-001 both a hub doubling study piece and a die deterioration record.

Die Markers

• Obverse: Die crack extends north into the bust from the R in DOLLAR. Reverse: Die crack runs through the bottom of the letters of HUGUENOT. Die cracks connect the RY in TERCENTENARY to the 4 in 1924. E/W die crack through the highest flag on the Nieuw Nederland. Many E/W die scratches through HUGUENOT.

Attribution History

• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1924 50¢ Huguenot-Walloon WDDR-001
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References