1961 Doubled Die Reverse DDR-014

Description

Fourteenth doubled die reverse cataloged by VarietyVista for the 1961 Franklin Half Dollar, DDR-014 shows light spread on E PLURIBUS UNUM — the Latin motto displayed on the reverse above the Liberty Bell. Assigned UVC-314 and DMR-037, this variety documents three die stages: Stage A with both reverse and obverse in early die state, Stage B at mid-die state (unconfirmed), and Stage C at late die state (unconfirmed). The EDS confirmation for Stage A means that specimens have been identified from the earliest period of this die pair's production life, when die wear was minimal and the doubling characteristics would appear at their sharpest. Light spread on E PLURIBUS UNUM indicates a subtle secondary impression that displaced the motto letters slightly from their primary positions — visible under magnification but not dramatic enough to be noticed in casual examination. The 1961 Franklin Half Dollar was struck at the Philadelphia Mint during the penultimate year of John R. Sinnock's design, which would be replaced by Gilroy Roberts' Kennedy Half Dollar portrait following President Kennedy's assassination in November 1963. Fourteen doubled die reverses for a single Franklin Half Dollar date demonstrates the frequency of hubbing anomalies across the many die pairs consumed during production. The Franklin Half reverse, dominated by the large Liberty Bell with its crack detail and E PLURIBUS UNUM inscription above, provided multiple design elements where doubling could manifest, and VarietyVista's systematic cataloging captures even subtle varieties like this one to build a complete record of die manufacturing variations.

Die Markers

• UVC-314
• DMR-037
• Stage A:
• Reverse and Obverse are EDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Robert Umbarger
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References