1940-D Doubled Die Obverse DDO-003

Description

Third in the obverse doubled die census for the 1940-D Mercury dime, DDO-003 exhibits light spread on the date and Adolph A. Weinman's designer initials — a focused doubling footprint affecting the lower obverse where the date numerals and the small AW monogram reside near the truncation of Liberty's neck. Cross-referenced as 3-O-II-C in an alternative classification system (where "3" denotes the DDO number, "O" indicates obverse, "II" identifies Class II distorted hub doubling, and "C" specifies the sub-class), this attribution connects the variety to the broader Mercury dime doubled die documentation framework. VarietyVista assigned identifiers UVC-108 and DMR-004 for internal tracking. The original catalog entry includes the editorial note "I need to see a specimen for new digital photographs," a candid research notation indicating the variety has been documented from earlier reference material but awaits high-resolution digital imaging to update the photographic record — a common situation for varieties originally cataloged from film-era photographs or hand-drawn diagrams. Denver struck approximately 21.56 million Mercury dimes in 1940, a pre-war mintage reflecting increased industrial demand for circulating coinage as the American economy mobilized. Weinman's Winged Liberty Head design, frequently misidentified as "Mercury" for the Roman god's winged cap, places the date at the lower right and the designer's AW initials at the neck truncation — two closely positioned elements whose simultaneous involvement in the doubling confirms a displacement concentrated in the lower obverse quadrant. The light spread classification indicates subtle doubling requiring careful magnification to confirm. Collectors should examine the date and the small AW monogram under 15-20x magnification, looking for thickened or slightly displaced secondary impressions of the numerals and initials that exceed normal strike characteristics.

Die Markers

• UVC-108, DMR-004

Attribution History

• 3-O-II-C

External References