1939 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-003

Description

Paired with the Reverse of 1938 variety of the 1939 Philadelphia Mint Jefferson Nickel, this DDO-003 shares the same doubled obverse die as its Reverse of 1940 counterpart but is distinguished by the earlier reverse type. The Reverse of 1938 was the original Felix Schlag design used from the series' debut — it features slightly different architectural details on Monticello compared to the revised Reverse of 1940 that replaced it partway through 1939 production. Because the same obverse die could be paired with either reverse type, DDO-003 exists under both parent varieties, and collectors pursuing a complete set would seek examples with each reverse pairing. Tracked with VarietyVista codes UVC-611 and DMR-007, the identical attribution codes confirm this is the same obverse die documented under two different reverse pairings rather than two separate doubled dies. The 1939 date produced the only overlap of the two reverse types in the entire Jefferson Nickel series, creating a unique situation where a single die variety can appear on coins with meaningfully different reverses — a distinction that adds a layer of complexity to collecting first-year Jefferson Nickel varieties.

Die Markers

• UVC-611; DMR-007

External References