1955-D Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-016

Description

Attributed by Brian A. Ribar, this Class II Distorted Hub Doubling variety on the 1955-D Jefferson Nickel shows close doubling on UNUM and AMERICA — a selective pattern where the hub distortion affected only specific areas of the reverse inscription rather than producing uniform spread across all lettering. The 1955 Denver Mint nickel production yielded over 74 million pieces, requiring substantial numbers of working dies and generating ample opportunity for hub misalignment during die manufacturing. Obverse die markers include a heavy die scratch below the L of LIBERTY and die scratches below RUST of TRUST, with the heavy scratch below L serving as an especially reliable quick-identification feature. Reverse markers show a die scratch inside the lower portion of the right arch and a die scratch below the M of MONTICELLO. Cross-referenced under Wexler Variety ID: 1955-D WDDR-016, the sixteen documented DDRs for this date-mintmark pair reflect systematic research into the Denver Mint's 1955 nickel die output. Class II Distorted Hub varieties on Jefferson Nickels present a distinctive challenge for attributors, as the distortion pattern can mimic die deterioration doubling to untrained observers.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Brian A. Ribar
• Wexler Variety ID: 1955-D WDDR-016
• Expert attribution by Brian A. Ribar

External References