1956 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-006

Description

Class II distorted hub doubling visible on IN GOD WE TRUST, LIBERTY, the star, and the date characterizes this sixth doubled die obverse for the 1956 Jefferson Nickel of the original Felix Schlag design. Close Class II doubling produces a tight spread where the displaced design elements remain near the normal positions, requiring careful magnification to confirm. Die markers include a die dot below the second T of TRUST and die scratches in Jefferson's hair above his forehead on the obverse, while the reverse shows a die gouge (dot) below the right portion of the second A of AMERICA and a die gouge below MO of MONTICELLO. The 1956 Jefferson Nickel was produced during a period of robust economic growth in the United States, with Philadelphia striking over 35 million pieces for general circulation. Schlag's portrait of Thomas Jefferson, which won the 1938 design competition, was in its eighteenth year of production and would continue largely unchanged through 2003. The combination of date doubling and motto doubling on this variety provides multiple diagnostic areas for attribution, and the die dots and gouges documented on both sides serve as fingerprint-level identifiers for this specific working die.

Die Markers

• Obverse: Die dot below the second T of TRUST; die scratches in Jefferson's hair above his forehead.
• Reverse: Die gouge (dot) below right portion of second A of AMERICA; die gouge below MO of MONTICELLO.

External References