1943 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-017

Description

Strong spread on LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, and the date identifies this 1943 Philadelphia Mint Washington Silver Quarter as one of the more prominent doubled die obverses for this wartime date, cross-referenced as FS-102 in the Fivaz-Stanton Cherry Picker's Guide — a prestigious listing that indicates recognition as a significant variety worthy of mainstream collector attention. VarietyVista catalogs the variety with die markers UVC-0303 and DMR-018, documenting a complex die history: Stages A and B at Early and Mid Die State are unconfirmed, while Stage C reveals the obverse in Late Die State with extensive reverse die cracking — a crack extending east from the eagle's head to the wing, plus another crack running through E PLURIBUS, both wings, and the wreath. These dramatic late-stage cracks indicate the die pair saw extensive use before retirement. The 1943 Washington Quarter was produced during World War II at the Philadelphia Mint in the traditional 90% silver composition — unlike cents and nickels, quarters did not undergo wartime composition changes. Seventeen documented doubled die obverses for 1943 is a notable count, and the FS-102 cross-reference on DDO-017 elevates this variety above many of its catalog neighbors in terms of collector demand and market recognition. The strong spread across three major design elements makes this variety identifiable under moderate magnification.

Die Markers

• UVC-0303
• DMR-018
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• Obverse is LDS
• Die crack East from eagle's head to wing – LDS
• Die crack through E PLURIBUS, both wings, and wreath

Attribution History

• Discovered by Lee Hiemke
• FS-102
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References