1960 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-027

Description

William Hostutler documented this Class II (Distorted Hub Doubling) variety on the 1960 proof Jefferson Nickel, where spread manifests across two intensity zones on the obverse. IN GOD WE TRUST displays the widest separation between primary and secondary images, with the closer, tighter doubling appearing on LIBERTY, the star, and the date — a two-tier pattern typical of Class II distortion where the magnitude of displacement varies with distance from the hub's distortion axis. The obverse die carries a small die dot positioned directly on Jefferson's nose, an unmistakable marker that provides rapid visual confirmation before the collector even needs to examine the doubling itself. On the reverse, a die gouge (dot) sits between the upper portions of the third and fourth columns of Monticello's front portico, alongside a slanted die gouge on the rim below the T of UNITED. These specific die markers — cataloged under Wexler reference 1960 WDDO-027 Proof — create a three-point attribution framework: the nose dot, the inter-column gouge, and the rim gouge near T. The 1960 proof nickel was produced at the Philadelphia Mint in copper-nickel alloy, and this particular year is notable in the doubled die census for its deep bench of proof varieties. The twenty-seventh DDO designation for a single date-mint confirms the extraordinary die population involved in 1960 proof nickel manufacture.

Attribution History

• Discovered by William Hostutler
• Wexler Variety ID: 1960 WDDO-027 Proof
• Expert attribution by William Hostutler

External References