1957 Doubled Die Reverse DDR-005

Description

VarietyVista's DDR-005 on the 1957 Franklin Half Dollar documents light spread and extra thickness on UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and the eagle wing on the reverse — John R. Sinnock's design featuring the Liberty Bell with a small heraldic eagle at right. Die markers UVC-290 and DMR-008 identify this working die, with three die stages: Stage A with reverse and obverse at early die state, Stage B at mid die state (unconfirmed), and Stage C with reverse and obverse at late die state. The confirmed LDS documentation at Stage C means specimens have been identified from the end of this die's service life, where accumulated wear may soften the already-light doubling while simultaneously introducing die cracks, flow lines, or other late-state markers that serve as independent authentication features. Light spread and extra thickness on inscriptions and the eagle wing indicate a hub displacement event of modest magnitude — sufficient to produce detectable thickening on letter strokes and feather details but not dramatic enough to create clear separation between primary and secondary images. The 1957 Franklin Half Dollar was struck at Philadelphia in 90% silver composition at 12.5 grams, part of the Franklin Half Dollar series that ran from 1948 through 1963 before being replaced by the Kennedy Half Dollar. Franklin Half Dollar doubled die varieties are less extensively cataloged than their Lincoln Cent or Jefferson Nickel counterparts, making DDR-005 part of a comparatively smaller but dedicated collecting specialty. The eagle wing doubling is diagnostically interesting because the fine feather lines provide high-resolution reference detail against which even light extra thickness becomes measurable under magnification.

Die Markers

• UVC-290
• DMR-008
• Stage A:
• Reverse and Obverse are EDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• Reverse and Obverse are LDS

Attribution History

• Discovered by James Wiles
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References