1943-S Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-006

Description

Class V pivoted hub doubling on the 1943 San Francisco Mint Jefferson Nickel, WDDO-006 documents hub displacement on a wartime silver alloy issue struck in 35% silver, 56% copper, and 9% manganese. This emergency composition replaced standard copper-nickel from 1942 through 1945 to conserve nickel for military applications, identified by the large mint mark above Monticello on the reverse. Attributed by John A. Wexler, this variety features a long wavy die crack from Jefferson's forehead to his chin along with an S-shaped die crack in the hair, documenting substantial die fatigue. Class V pivoted hub doubling produces displacement that varies based on each element's distance from the pivot axis, with elements further from the pivot showing greater spread. The forehead-to-chin die crack traverses nearly the full vertical span of Jefferson's portrait, while the S-shaped crack in the hair adds a distinctive non-linear fracture pattern. Cataloged under Wexler Variety ID 1943-S WDDO-006, this wartime silver nickel combines the compositional distinction of the emergency alloy with dramatic die deterioration and pivoted hub doubling on Felix Schlag's portrait of Thomas Jefferson.

Attribution History

• Discovered by John A. Wexler
• Wexler Variety ID: 1943-S WDDO-006
• Expert attribution by John A. Wexler

External References