1938-S Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-001

Description

Bearing the distinction of appearing on the inaugural year of Felix Schlag's Jefferson Nickel design, this 1938-S doubled die obverse was attributed by Whaden Curtis and cataloged as WDDO-001. The Jefferson Nickel replaced the beloved Buffalo Nickel in 1938 after Schlag won a public design competition, and San Francisco was one of three mints to produce the new denomination in its debut year. A misalignment during the hub-to-die transfer process created visible doubling on the obverse design elements of Schlag's left-facing Jefferson portrait. As the first DDO variety cataloged for the 1938-S date, WDDO-001 holds particular appeal for collectors who value first-year-of-issue varieties combined with die anomalies. The 1938-S had a mintage of 4.1 million pieces, the lowest among the three mints that year, adding scarcity to the base coin. Collectors should examine the obverse inscriptions and portrait details under magnification to confirm the characteristic spread that distinguishes this variety from its companion, WDDO-002, which represents a separate die pair attributed by a different expert.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Whaden Curtis
• Wexler Variety ID: 1938-S WDDO-001
• Expert attribution by Whaden Curtis

External References