1940-S Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-001

Description

Holding the coveted -001 designation in the Wexler files for the 1940-S Washington quarter, WDDR-001 represents the most significant or earliest-cataloged doubled die reverse for this date-mint combination. Attributed by the Wexler Team and cross-referenced as both CONECA 1-O-II and Wexler Variety ID 1940-S 25c WDDR-001, the dual-catalog recognition confirms that major attribution organizations independently verified this variety. The CONECA 1-O-II classification identifies it as the first cataloged DDR for this date (number 1), occurring on the obverse die (O designation in the CONECA system references the die type), with a Class II mechanism. Class II distorted hub doubling on a Washington quarter reverse would affect the eagle, inscriptions, and heraldic elements with non-uniform displacement that varies across the die face, creating spread that widens or narrows depending on position relative to the distortion axis. The San Francisco Mint struck 2,797,600 Washington quarters in 1940, a comparatively modest output that makes any variety from this mintage inherently scarcer than those from higher-production years. John Flanagan's Washington quarter design, featuring the eagle with spread wings on the reverse surrounded by UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and QUARTER DOLLAR, had been in production since 1932, and by 1940 the die-making process for this design was well established — yet hub misalignment remained an unavoidable occurrence that WDDR-001 documents. The low mintage combined with the -001 catalog position makes this an appealing target for Washington quarter variety specialists building a comprehensive DDR collection.

Attribution History

• CONECA: 1-O-II; Wexler Variety ID: 1940-S 25¢ WDDR-001
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References