1960 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-006

Description

Sixth in the Wexler-documented obverse doubled die census for the 1960 Washington silver quarter proof, WDDO-006 displays a counterclockwise spread on the R of LIBERTY and IN GOD WE TRUST, paired with a clockwise spread on the TY of LIBERTY — an unusual combination of opposing directional spreads within a single die that reflects a Class V (Pivoted Hub Doubling) mechanism where the hub rotated around a fixed pivot point during the secondary impression. The cross-reference notation "1960 25¢ Pr" confirms this is a proof issue, struck at the Philadelphia Mint using polished dies and specially prepared silver planchets. John Flanagan's Washington quarter obverse carries the LIBERTY and IN GOD WE TRUST inscriptions along the upper periphery, and the opposing CCW and CW spreads on different portions of these legends demonstrate the rotational nature of the hub displacement around a pivot located between the affected zones. Obverse die markers show no significant distinguishing characteristics, but the reverse carries a small die gouge between the upper C and A in AMERICA — providing a secondary diagnostic for confirming the correct die. The Wexler Team assigned this variety the formal designation Wexler Variety ID: 1960 25¢ Pr WDDO-006, with no additional cross-references currently documented. Proof silver quarters from 1960, with their mirror-like fields and sharply struck design elements, provide excellent surfaces for detecting hub doubling under magnification, as the pristine die finish eliminates the surface noise that can obscure subtle varieties on circulation strikes. Collectors should examine the R of LIBERTY and the TY of LIBERTY under 15-20x magnification, noting the opposing directional character of the spread in each zone.

Attribution History

• Discovered by David Mulberry Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1960 25¢ Pr WDDO-006
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References