1951 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-003

Description

Cataloged as the third obverse doubled die for the 1951 Washington quarter proof, DDO-003 exhibits medium spread on IN GOD WE TRUST — John Flanagan's motto inscription arcing above Washington's head on the quarter obverse that has been in continuous production since 1932. VarietyVista assigned die identifiers UVC-0750 and DMR-007, documenting three die stages: Stage A at early die state (unconfirmed), Stage B where the obverse has progressed to mid die state with three strong parallel die scratches visible between the eagle's legs on the reverse serving as an MDS diagnostic, and Stage C at late die state (unconfirmed). The parallel die scratches between the eagle's legs provide an exceptionally useful secondary identification point, as three evenly spaced scratches in that specific location constitute a fingerprint unique to this die marriage. Proof Washington quarters in 1951 were struck at Philadelphia with a mintage of approximately 57,500 proof sets — a small figure by modern standards that constrains the total population of any proof-only variety. The comments identify this as a proof issue with the obverse designated as ODV-005 (Obverse Design Variant 005), establishing a dual attribution that combines the doubled die with a distinct design variant classification. Proof die preparation involved polishing the die faces to a mirror finish before striking on specially prepared planchets, and any hub doubling established during the die sinking process would transfer with exceptional clarity onto the reflective proof surfaces. Medium spread on IN GOD WE TRUST suggests the secondary hub impression is detectable without extreme magnification, particularly on proof specimens where the contrast between frosted devices and mirror fields amplifies the visibility of displaced secondary impressions along the motto's letter strokes.

Die Markers

• UVC-0750
• DMR-007
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Obverse is MDS
• Three strong parallel die scratches between eagle's legs – MDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Delma K. Romines
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References