1949 Variety WMDO-001

Description

Listed as CONECA MD-1-O-II and Wexler 1949 25-cent WMDO-001, this Philadelphia Mint Washington quarter shares the same master die doubling found on all 1949-dated quarters regardless of mint. The spread toward the center affects IN, the TR in TRUST, and the BER in LIBERTY, a pattern that was impressed into the master die itself before any working dies were hubbed from it. Because every 1949 working die inherited this doubling, the die markers on both obverse and reverse will vary from one working die to the next, as each steel blank received its own unique scratches and handling marks during individual die preparation. This universal distribution is the defining characteristic of master die doubling and the reason CONECA and Wexler explicitly note that the variety carries no premium value for the doubling alone. The 1949 Philadelphia quarter had a mintage of 9.312 million pieces, a relatively low figure for the series that can create confusion when collectors find the doubling and assume they have discovered a scarce working die variety. Recognizing master die doubling versus working die doubling is a foundational skill in variety collecting, and the 1949 Washington quarter serves as one of the most frequently cited teaching examples in the numismatic education literature because the doubling is clear enough to demonstrate the concept while being common enough to find readily.

Attribution History

• Discovered by John A. Wexler Cross References: CONECA: MD-1-O-II Comments: Because this is a doubled master die, all 1949 dated Washington quarters will have this doubling so there is no premium value for the doubling.
• CONECA: MD-1-O-II Comments: Because this is a doubled master die, all 1949 dated Washington quarters will have this doubling so there is no premium value for the doubling.; Wexler Variety ID: 1949 25¢ WMDO-001
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References