1961 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-005

Description

Class II distorted hub doubling directed toward the center characterizes WDDO-005 of the 1961 proof Franklin Half Dollar, with the spread affecting the date, LIBERTY, and IN GOD WE TRUST (abbreviated as IGWT in variety shorthand). The toward-center direction means the secondary hub impression was displaced inward from the die's perimeter, pushing the doubled image away from the rim. Philadelphia's proof production in 1961 totaled approximately 3.03 million sets, establishing the population from which this variety can be found. John R. Sinnock's Franklin design — featuring Benjamin Franklin's portrait on the obverse and the Liberty Bell on the reverse — was in its third-to-last year, ending in 1963 before the Kennedy Half Dollar replaced it in 1964. No significant die markers have been noted by the Wexler Team, meaning attribution depends on detecting the toward-center spread across three distinct obverse areas. Cataloged under Wexler Variety ID 1961 50c Pr WDDO-005 with no known cross-references, five documented WDDO varieties on the 1961 proof half dollar reflects the attention that die variety specialists have devoted to Franklin Half Dollar proofs, where the superior strike quality and careful collector preservation make even subtle Class II doubling detectable. The simultaneous involvement of date, LIBERTY, and motto provides three independent checkpoints for confirmation, strengthening the attribution confidence when all three areas show consistent toward-center displacement.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Clarence Coon Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1961 50¢ Pr WDDO-005
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References