1932 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-001

Description

Cataloged by the Wexler Team as 1932 25-cent WDDO-001 and cross-referenced as CONECA 1-O-IV and Cherrypickers FS-25-1932-101, this Washington Silver Quarter from the inaugural year of the series displays a Class IV spread to the north visible on Washington's nose, ear, and the back of the queue — a pivoted hub doubling that affected the portrait's most prominent facial features and the tied ribbon of hair extending behind the head. The CONECA Class IV designation identifies Offset Rotated Hub Doubling, where the hub was both shifted and slightly rotated during one of its impression contacts with the working die. Obverse die markers progress across two stages: Stage A shows a light die crack running ENE through the upper hair; Stage B shows the same crack strengthened. Reverse markers parallel this progression: Stage A features a die crack running down the outside of the eagle's right wing; Stage B adds a die crack through the center of IBUS in PLURIBUS extending to the top of the eagle's left wing. The 1932 date holds unique significance as the first year of Washington Quarter production, authorized to commemorate the 200th anniversary of George Washington's birth. Designed by John Flanagan, the coin was struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 90% silver at 6.25 grams with a 24.3 mm diameter. The Cherrypickers FS-25-1932-101 listing confirms this as a recognized first-year variety worth searching for, and the northward spread on the nose and ear provides the most accessible diagnostic features because these high-relief portrait elements amplify the visual effect of hub displacement when examined under magnification.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Mark P. Lafferty Cross References: CONECA: 1-O-IV, Cherrypickers: FS-25-1932-101
• CONECA: 1-O-IV, Cherrypickers: FS-25-1932-101; Wexler Variety ID: 1932 25¢ WDDO-001
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References