1960 Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-007

Description

Cataloged by the Wexler Team with cross-references to CONECA 10-O-II and Crawford CDDO-002, the 1960 Franklin Half Dollar proof WDDR-007 is notable for being paired with a doubled die reverse listed separately as 1960 50-cent Pr WDDO-010. This pairing means that a single die marriage produced doubled impressions on both sides of the coin — a relatively uncommon configuration that gives collectors two attributable varieties on one specimen. The reverse die markers include a die gouge inside the lower D of UNITED and three die gouges on the center left of the F in OF, with an additional gouge on the top left of the F. John R. Sinnock designed the Franklin Half Dollar obverse, featuring Benjamin Franklin's right-facing portrait, while the reverse displays the Liberty Bell with a small eagle to the right — a design element added at the insistence of Congress. The 1960 proof Franklin was struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 90% silver composition, weighing 12.5 grams and measuring 30.6 mm in diameter. As a proof issue, the polished die surfaces and specially prepared planchets produce mirror-finish fields that make doubled die features more visible than on business strikes. The dual DDO-DDR die pairing makes this variety especially desirable to Franklin Half Dollar specialists who can attribute both sides of the coin from a single example.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Tony Russo Cross References: CONECA: 10-O-II, Crawford: CDDO-002
• CONECA: 10-O-II, Crawford: CDDO-002; Wexler Variety ID: 1960 50¢ Pr WDDR-007
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References