1957 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-012

Description

Twelfth Wexler-cataloged doubled die obverse for the 1957 Proof Jefferson Nickel, WDDO-012 exhibits Class II (Distorted Hub Doubling) showing as close doubling on LIBERTY, the star, the date, and IN. Class II doubling results from a distortion of the hub itself — the master tool used to impress the design into working dies — rather than a simple translational or rotational shift between successive hub impressions. This distinction matters because distorted hub doubling can produce irregular spread patterns that vary across the die face, unlike the uniform displacement seen in Class I (rotated hub) doubling. Die markers include two die dots at the tip of Jefferson's head on the obverse, while the reverse displays a cluster of die dots between the long and small left windows of Monticello — Felix Schlag's rendering of Thomas Jefferson's Virginia estate. Submitted by variety researcher Timothy Wissert and cross-referenced as Wexler Variety ID 1957 WDDO-012 Proof, this variety was struck from dies prepared for the 1957 proof set. The Philadelphia Mint produced 1,247,952 proof sets in 1957, and proof dies received careful preparation that could paradoxically introduce hub doubling if the hubbing press alignment was not maintained precisely across multiple impressions. The doubling on LIBERTY, the star, the date, and IN spans a broad arc of the obverse design, confirming that the distortion affected a wide area of the hub during the impression process.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Timothy Wissert
• Wexler Variety ID: 1957 WDDO-012 Proof
• Expert attribution by Timothy Wissert

External References