1946 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-005

Description

Documented by VarietyVista with die identifiers UVC-0593 and DMR-006, this 1946 Washington Silver Quarter DDO-005 exhibits medium spread on LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, the date, the queue (Washington's ponytail), and the designer's initials — a broad doubling pattern affecting multiple obverse design elements and indicating a hub displacement of sufficient magnitude to produce visible secondary images across the full range of inscriptions and portrait details. Three die stages trace progressive deterioration: Stage A at early die state (EDS, unconfirmed); Stage B with both obverse and reverse at mid-die-state (MDS); and Stage C at late die state exhibiting a die crack across the forehead and upper hair and a die crack from BUS of PLURIBUS extending to the eagle's wing on the reverse. The Stage C cracks spanning both obverse (forehead) and reverse (PLURIBUS to wing) document terminal structural failure across both dies in the pair. The Washington Silver Quarter was struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 1946 — the first post-World War II year of regular coinage production. Composed of 90% silver and 10% copper, each coin weighs 6.25 grams with a diameter of 24.26 mm. John Flanagan designed the obverse Washington portrait based on Houdon's bust. The inclusion of the queue — Washington's tied-back hair detail at the base of the portrait — among the doubled elements is diagnostically significant because this fine detail occupies a lower portion of the die where doubling can be confirmed independently from the more commonly examined inscription elements. The medium spread magnitude means this variety should be visible under 5x to 7x magnification without requiring the higher power needed for subtle varieties.

Die Markers

• UVC-0593
• DMR-006
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Obverse and Reverse are MDS
• Stage C:
• Die crack across forehead and upper hair – LDS
• Die crack from BUS of PLURIBUS to wing – LDS

Attribution History

• Discovered by Chris Pilliod
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References