1945-D Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-008

Description

Attributed by Brian A. Ribar with Wexler Variety ID 1945-D WDDR-008, this Class II (Distorted Hub) doubled die reverse appears on the wartime 1945-D Jefferson nickel struck at the Denver Mint. The wartime nickel alloy of 56% copper, 35% silver, and 9% manganese gives this coin its distinctive appearance and the large mintmark above Monticello's dome that was used during 1942-1945 to distinguish the silver-content coins from the standard composition. The Class II doubling manifests on UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and slightly on FIVE CENTS, representing a hub distortion that created consistent displacement across the reverse design. The obverse shows minor doubling on IN GOD WE TRUST that was considered too minor to warrant a separate listing. Reverse die markers include a die scratch to the left of the F of FIVE, a light die crack from the D mintmark to the rim, a die scratch to the upper left of the first M of MONTICELLO, and a die crack from the N of CENTS to the last S of STATES, indicating progressive die deterioration. The variety may also represent RPM #8, a D/D West repunched mintmark. The coin weighs 5.0 grams with a 21.2 mm diameter. Felix Schlag designed both sides of the Jefferson nickel, which debuted in 1938 as part of the Jefferson Nickels Original Design 1938-2003 series, making it one of the longest-running portrait designs in American numismatic history.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Brian A. Ribar
• Wexler Variety ID: 1945-D WDDR-008
• Expert attribution by Brian A. Ribar

External References