1946-D Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-005

Description

Attributed by Whaden Curtis, WDDR-005 on the 1946-D Jefferson nickel exhibits Class II Distorted Hub Doubling that decreases in magnitude from left to right across E PLURIBUS UNUM, with slight additional doubling on CENTS and AMERICA. The decreasing spread pattern is the hallmark of Class II varieties — the hub face itself carries a slight convexity or warp, producing stronger displacement on one side of the die than the other. Specific die markers anchor this attribution: the obverse shows a die scratch extending from the upper right tip of the 6 in the date and a die gouge through the E of LIBERTY, while the reverse displays a die gouge in the field above the left porch of Monticello and a die scratch running from the E of MONTICELLO to the E of CENTS. The 1946-D nickel marked the return to the pre-war copper-nickel composition after the wartime silver alloy years of 1942-1945, and Denver produced over 45 million pieces as the nation transitioned to peacetime coinage. Curtis's attribution work on mid-century Jefferson nickels has documented numerous Class II varieties for this period, when the Mint's hubbing equipment was generating consistent but subtle distortions across multiple working dies.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Whaden Curtis
• Wexler Variety ID: 1946-D WDDR-005
• Expert attribution by Whaden Curtis

External References