1955 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-002

Description

Second in the obverse doubled die census for the 1955 Jefferson nickel, DDO-002 presents strong extra thickness on virtually every obverse inscription and design element: IN GOD WE TRUST, LIBERTY, the five-pointed star, the date, and even the eyelid, with division lines appearing on the edges near the rim. Felix Schlag's Jefferson portrait, selected through a design competition in 1938, provides the canvas for this comprehensively doubled obverse where nearly every element shows the effects of hub misalignment. Die markers UVC-898 and DMR-004 from VarietyVista anchor the attribution, and the comments note that the reverse is listed as DDR-007 — making this a dual-attribution die marriage where both obverse and reverse dies carry independent doubled die designations, significantly increasing the variety's collector appeal. Philadelphia struck approximately 8.27 million nickels in 1955, a low mintage relative to most Jefferson nickel dates, which adds date scarcity to the variety interest. The strong designation places DDO-002 at the upper end of the doubling magnitude scale, with the division lines near the rim edges suggesting the hub displacement was substantial enough to create visible separation between primary and secondary impressions rather than mere thickening. The breadth of affected elements — spanning inscriptions, design devices, and the date — indicates a wholesale hub misalignment that displaced the secondary impression across the entire die face. Division lines on the near-rim edges represent areas where the primary and secondary hub impressions created distinct boundaries visible as linear separations in the struck coin's surface, providing some of the clearest attribution diagnostics for this variety.

Die Markers

• UVC-898; DMR-004

External References