1955 Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-014

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Verified LegacyDoubled Die Reverse

Market Value

N/A

Rarity Index

N/A

Discovery Date

1955

Last Sold

N/A

Description

Fourteenth reverse doubled die cataloged for the 1955 Jefferson nickel, WDDR-014 presents Class II (Distorted Hub) doubling on E PLURIBUS UNUM with close tripling evident on UNUM — a feature where three distinct impressions are visible, indicating the die underwent multiple hubbing events with progressive misalignment. The tripling on UNUM elevates this variety's technical interest, as triple impressions require either three separate hubbing strokes with each introducing additional displacement, or a combination of hub distortion and positional shift that produces a third ghost image alongside the standard doubled effect. Class II doubling on the motto and close tripling on UNUM together suggest a complex hubbing history for this particular die. Felix Schlag's Monticello reverse design provides the fine architectural detail and bold lettering that make Jefferson nickels particularly productive territory for doubled die hunting. Obverse die markers include a die dot on Jefferson's shoulder, while the reverse carries a die scratch through the left side of the large center semicircular window of Monticello. Philadelphia struck approximately 7.89 million nickels in 1955, among the lower post-war production figures for the denomination. The relatively modest mintage makes 1955 Jefferson nickels less frequently encountered in quantity than higher-production dates, potentially limiting the pool of specimens available for variety discovery while also concentrating production across fewer die pairs. The 1955 date is overshadowed in popular numismatics by the famous 1955 doubled die obverse Lincoln cent, but the Jefferson nickel DDR census for this year reveals its own story of hub doubling across multiple dies. Collectors should verify the die dot on the shoulder and the scratch through the semicircular window, then examine E PLURIBUS UNUM at 15-20x magnification, paying special attention to UNUM where the triple impression distinguishes this variety from standard doubled dies.