1943 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-007

Description

Medium spread on LIBERTY, the five-pointed star, and the date characterizes this wartime 1943 Jefferson nickel DDO-007, a variety struck during the 35% silver alloy composition period when nickel metal was diverted to military production. VarietyVista cataloged this die pair as UVC-716 with die markers reference DMR-070 and tracked a three-stage progression revealing significant die deterioration. Stage A at early die state remains unconfirmed. Stage B shows both the obverse and reverse at mid-die-state. By Stage C, the obverse has reached late die state and a die break develops over the right side of the Monticello roof, confirming substantial die fatigue. The 1943 Jefferson nickel was minted at all three active facilities (Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco), each using the wartime silver alloy composition. The large mintmark positioned above Monticello's dome identifies the mint of origin, a placement unique to the 1942-1945 wartime issues. Felix Schlag's design had been in production for only five years at this point, and the relatively fresh master hub still transferred fine detail effectively, making doubled die varieties from this period particularly crisp when found in higher grades. The medium spread on the star is a notable diagnostic, as the five-pointed star to the right of the date provides a compact area where even moderate hub misalignment produces clearly visible separation between the primary and secondary images. Die stage identification is important for this variety, as the Stage C die break over the roof adds a secondary collecting dimension beyond the doubled die itself.

Die Markers

• UVC-716
• DMR-070
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Obverse and Reverse are MDS
• Stage C:
• Obverse is LDS
• Die break over Right roof – LDS

Attribution History

• Discovered by Adolf Weiss
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References