1938 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-001

Description

Holding the primary Wexler obverse doubled die designation for the inaugural 1938 Jefferson nickel, WDDO-001 exhibits combined Class II (Distorted Hub) and Class V (Pivoted Hub) doubling — a dual-mechanism variety that reflects two distinct misalignment events during the die hubbing process. Felix Schlag won the 1938 design competition for the new nickel with a left-facing Jefferson portrait and Monticello reverse, replacing James Earle Fraser's iconic Buffalo nickel after a quarter century of production. Philadelphia struck approximately 19.5 million Jefferson nickels in the inaugural year, making 1938 a moderately scarce date that attracts both series collectors and variety specialists. Obverse die markers provide strong secondary diagnostics: a prominent horizontal die gouge runs through the upper RT of LIBERTY, and light die cracks extend westward from both the upper left and lower left of the L in LIBERTY. These progressive die deterioration features — the gouge from die preparation and the cracks from striking stress — create a fingerprint unique to this working die. The reverse die is listed as 1938 5c WDDR-001, indicating the same die pair also carries a documented reverse doubled die, making specimens from this die marriage potentially attributable to two separate doubled die varieties simultaneously. The combination of Class II distortion and Class V pivoting on a single obverse die is relatively uncommon, as it requires two independent misalignment events during the hubbing sequence. Collectors should verify the horizontal gouge through RT of LIBERTY and the cracks near L first to confirm the correct die, then examine the doubling under 10-15x magnification. The dual-attribution potential — WDDO-001 obverse paired with WDDR-001 reverse — makes this die pair particularly desirable for collectors pursuing comprehensive Jefferson nickel variety sets.

Die Markers

• Obverse: Strong horizontal die gouge through upper RT of LIBERTY; light die cracks west from upper left and lower left of L of LIBERTY.
• Reverse: Listed as 1938 5c WDDR-001.

External References