1939-D Doubled Die Reverse DDR-001

Description

Primary doubled die reverse for the 1939 Denver Mint Washington Quarter, DDR-001 shows very light spread on QUARTER — subtle hub doubling that requires careful examination under magnification to confirm. Die stage progression is particularly informative: UVC-0105, DMR-004. Stage A and Stage B remain in unconfirmed Early Die State and Mid-Die State respectively, but Stage C reveals a diagnostic die crack running down the eagle's right wing in Late Die State, with the obverse at MDS — an asymmetric state pairing indicating the reverse die deteriorated faster than its obverse counterpart. John Flanagan's Washington Quarter design, introduced in 1932, was in its eighth year of production by 1939, and the heraldic eagle reverse with its spread wings and shield provided design surfaces sensitive to revealing hub displacement. Denver struck approximately 7.09 million quarters in 1939, a modest production figure reflecting the still-recovering Depression-era economy. The Stage C die crack through the eagle's wing is itself a noteworthy die marker, as progressive die cracking through major design elements provides collectors with a visual reference for die state assessment. Cataloged by VarietyVista, DDR-001 holds the distinction of being the first-attributed doubled die reverse for this scarcer pre-war Denver Quarter date.

Die Markers

• UVC-0105
• DMR-004
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• Die crack down eagle's Right wing – LDS
• Obverse is MDS

Attribution History

• Discovered by Lee Hiemke
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References