1948 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-003

Description

Displaying Class I (Rotated Hub) doubling with a clockwise spread, WDDO-003 of the 1948 Washington Quarter affects an unusually broad range of obverse elements: the date, designer's initials, lower ribbon, IN GOD WE TRUST, and LIBERTY all exhibit rotational displacement. In a Class I event, the hub rotated around its central axis between impressions, producing a clockwise arc that increases in magnitude further from the center — elements near the rim show the most dramatic spread while those near the portrait's center remain relatively unaffected. This coverage across five design areas confirms a significant rotational event during die preparation. Attributed by the Wexler Team, WDDO-003 also carries a diagnostic die crack through the upper forehead of Washington's portrait, tracing die fatigue and providing secondary attribution independent of the doubling. The 1948 Washington Quarter was produced at Philadelphia in moderate quantities during the early postwar period. Clockwise rotated hub doubling on the lower ribbon is particularly striking, as the ribbon's flowing curves translate rotational displacement into visible arcs.

Attribution History

• Discovered by James R. Livengood Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1948 25¢ WDDO-003
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References