1957 Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-016

Description

Sixteenth in the reverse doubled die census for the 1957 Jefferson nickel, WDDR-016 exhibits a very close Class II Distorted Hub spread on E PLURIBUS UNUM — the motto positioned above Felix Schlag's Monticello depiction on the reverse. Class II doubling in the Wexler system results from a rotational pivot between hub impressions, where the secondary hubbing rotated slightly around a center point, producing displacement that varies across the die face based on distance from the pivot axis. The very close designation indicates the secondary impression landed almost exactly atop the primary, producing extremely subtle thickening of the motto letters rather than visibly separated doubled images — making this one of the more challenging varieties to attribute confidently and explaining the emphasis on the "very close" qualifier. The reverse carries two specific die markers: slanted die scratches to the right of the long right window on Monticello, and a slanted die scratch to the left of the small left window, providing secondary diagnostics that are independent of the subtle doubling. No obverse die markers were noted. Philadelphia struck approximately 38.41 million Jefferson nickels in 1957, a moderate mintage that consumed a reasonable number of working die pairs. The window-area die scratches on Monticello's facade provide excellent reference points for die confirmation, as the architectural elements of the building create a geometric grid against which linear die scratches are easily identified. Collectors should first locate the slanted scratches near the right and left windows to confirm the correct reverse die, then examine E PLURIBUS UNUM under 20x or greater magnification with careful oblique lighting to detect the very close Class II spread — looking for extremely subtle rotational thickening of the letter strokes that may require comparison against multiple confirmed normal specimens to identify with confidence.

Die Markers

• Obverse: None noted.
• Reverse: Slanted die scratches to right of long right window; slanted die scratch to left of small left window.

External References