1960-D Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-006

Description

Attributed by John A. Wexler under Variety ID 1960-D WDDR-006, this Denver Mint Jefferson Nickel exhibits Class VI distended hub doubling — a type of doubling caused by excessive pressure during the hubbing process that causes the hub design to spread outward from the center, creating extra thickness on design elements rather than the directional spread seen in other doubled die classes. The distended hub effect produces nice extra thickness on E PLURIBUS UNUM and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, with the doubling increasing in intensity from left to right across the inscriptions. Obverse die markers include a series of die scratches below the Y of LIBERTY and near the star, while the reverse shows a die scratch above the left arch of Monticello. Felix Schlag's original Monticello reverse design, used from the Jefferson Nickel's 1938 debut through 2003, features the iconic facade of Thomas Jefferson's Virginia estate with its distinctive columns and dome. The 1960-D nickel was produced during an era of high-volume coinage at Denver, and Class VI doubled dies from this period are particularly interesting because distended hub doubling represents a fundamentally different mechanical process than the more common pivoted or rotated hub classes, requiring the collector to look for thickened lettering rather than separated images.

Attribution History

• Discovered by John A. Wexler
• Wexler Variety ID: 1960-D WDDR-006
• Expert attribution by John A. Wexler

External References