1960 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-016

Description

Documented by the Wexler Team with Variety ID 1960 50c Pr WDDO-016, this doubled die obverse appears on a 1960 proof Franklin half dollar. The doubling manifests as a close spread towards the center on WE TRUST and the date, with the spread increasing from left to right, while doubling on LIBERTY is attributed to a separate obverse hub origin WWHO-001. This dual-origin doubling adds complexity to the attribution and makes the variety particularly interesting from a die manufacturing standpoint. Obverse die markers include a small die gouge under the N of IN and a small die gouge appearing as a dot on the diagonal bar of the N. The reverse carries a small die gouge between the lower E and S in STATES. The 1960 proof Franklin half dollar was struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 90% silver and 10% copper, weighing 12.50 grams with a 30.6 mm diameter. John R. Sinnock's obverse portrait of Benjamin Franklin, introduced in 1948, paired with the Liberty Bell reverse, was in its final years of production when this die was created. No other cross-references are currently known for this variety. The Franklin Half Dollars 1948-1963 series is notable among variety collectors because proof production during this era used multiple hub impressions to create working dies, providing ample opportunity for hub misalignment between successive impressions and the creation of doubled die varieties.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Brian Ribar Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1960 50¢ Pr WDDO-016
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References