1945-S Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-002

Description

Attributed by Whaden Curtis and cataloged as Wexler Variety ID 1945-S WDDO-002, this wartime Jefferson Nickel exhibits Class II distorted hub doubling with close spread visible on IN GOD WE TRUST. The doubling concentrates on the motto inscription at the upper right of Felix Schlag's obverse design, where the tilt-distorted hub left a secondary impression close to but offset from the primary motto letters. Obverse die markers include two distinct clusters: a series of die scratches in the field behind Jefferson's head — the open area between the back of the bust and the rim — and a series of die scratches on his temple near the hairline, where the transition from smooth skin to sculpted hair creates a natural boundary against which fine die scratches are readily visible. On the reverse, die scratches near the rim below AMERICA and a series of scratches above the M of MONTICELLO provide attribution confirmation from the opposite die face. The 1945-S is a wartime silver alloy issue, struck in the special 56% copper, 35% silver, 9% manganese composition adopted from mid-1942 through 1945 to conserve nickel for military applications. At 5 grams, these wartime nickels carry the distinctive large mintmark (S, P, or D) above Monticello's dome on the reverse — the only period in the Jefferson Nickel series when the mintmark appeared on the reverse above the dome rather than to the right of Monticello. The silver content of wartime nickels gives them a slightly different luster and toning pattern compared to their copper-nickel counterparts, and the manganese component can produce distinctive dark or streaky toning over time. Whaden Curtis's attribution of this variety places it within the broader body of wartime nickel doubled die research.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Whaden Curtis
• Wexler Variety ID: 1945-S WDDO-002
• Expert attribution by Whaden Curtis

External References