1955 Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-001

Description

Cross-referenced as CONECA 2-R-II+VI and cataloged by the Wexler Team under Wexler Variety ID 1955 50-cent Proof WDDR-001, this Franklin Half Dollar doubled die reverse shows a spread toward the center on "HALF DOLLAR" and "AMERICA," plus significant extra thickness on "E PLURIBUS UNUM" and the dots flanking the motto. The CONECA classification II+VI indicates a combination of Class II distorted hub doubling and Class VI distended die effects — a dual-mechanism attribution that reflects the complexity of the die manufacturing process and the multiple ways hub-to-die transfer can go wrong during a single die's creation. The spread "toward the center" means the secondary impression shifted inward on the die, compressing the design elements slightly — the opposite of the outward radiating spread seen on Class I rotational doubled dies. No significant die markers have been noted on either the obverse or reverse, meaning attribution depends on matching the doubling pattern against reference images. The 1955 Franklin Half Dollar proof was produced at the Philadelphia Mint with a proof mintage of 378,200 sets — a relatively modest output by later standards that limits the maximum possible variety population. John R. Sinnock's Franklin Half Dollar design, featuring Benjamin Franklin's portrait and the Liberty Bell reverse, was in its eighth year of production. The 1955 date is numismatically memorable primarily for the Lincoln Cent doubled die obverse that dominated headlines, but this proof Franklin DDR demonstrates that hub doubling events occurred across denominations during the same era's die production. The combination of two doubling classes on a single die makes WDDR-001 a textbook example of compound hubbing error.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Lou Coles Cross References: CONECA: 2-R-II+VI
• CONECA: 2-R-II+VI; Wexler Variety ID: 1955 50¢ Pr WDDR-001
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References