1939 Doubled Die Reverse DDR-014

Description

Bearing the DDR-014 designation for the 1939 Jefferson nickel, this fourteenth reverse doubled die displays light spread and extra thickness on E PLURIBUS UNUM — the Latin motto that arcs across the upper reverse of Felix Schlag's Monticello design, which won the 1938 public design competition to replace James Earle Fraser's Buffalo nickel. VarietyVista assigned die identifiers UVC-628 and DMR-024, tracking three die stages: Stage A at early die state (unconfirmed), Stage B where both obverse and reverse surfaces show mid die state, and Stage C at late die state (unconfirmed). The reverse carries the additional classification RDV-002 (Straight Steps), a Reverse Design Variant identified by the configuration of the steps leading to Monticello's entrance — "straight steps" as opposed to the wavy or irregular step variants that appear on some Jefferson nickel reverse dies. Philadelphia struck approximately 120.6 million nickels in 1939, the second year of the Jefferson design, when production and die preparation processes were still being refined for the new type. The combination of light spread on E PLURIBUS UNUM with extra thickness indicates a modest hub displacement that manifests both as subtle secondary letter impressions (spread) and as marginally widened letter strokes (extra thickness). The RDV-002 designation provides an independent classification layer — collectors can confirm they have the correct reverse die variant by examining the Monticello steps for the straight configuration, then look for the doubling on EPU. The MDS confirmation at Stage B establishes that specimens with moderate die wear exist and have been verified. The 1939 date marks an early chapter in Jefferson nickel variety research, and DDR-014's high census number indicates this date has received thorough reverse die examination.

Die Markers

• UVC-628
• DMR-024
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Obverse and Reverse are MDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Timothy Wissert
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References