1961 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-015

Description

Attributed by Brian A. Ribar and cross-referenced as Wexler 1961 WDDO-015 Proof, this proof Jefferson Nickel obverse displays Class II Distorted Hub Doubling on LIBERTY, the star, and the date. This variety carries a notable relisting history: it was formerly cataloged as WDDO-029 and replaces the original WDDO-015 listing, which was delisted after being identified as a doubled working hub — a distinction that matters because hub doubling affects all dies made from that hub, while die doubling is unique to a single working die. The Class II mechanism arises from slight warping of the hub between successive impressions, producing doubling whose direction varies across different zones of the design rather than following a uniform directional pattern. Die markers include a slanted die scratch on Jefferson's collar and a die dot on the back portion of the collar on the obverse, with no significant reverse markers noted. The 1961 proof Jefferson Nickel was struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 75% copper and 25% nickel, weighing 5.0 grams with a diameter of 21.21 mm. The year 1961 falls in the prime period of Philadelphia proof production, when the Mint was generating proof sets in increasing quantities to meet growing collector demand. Felix Schlag's Jefferson portrait, with its detailed rendering of the third president's distinctive profile, provides fine reference geometry where Class II distortion creates diagnostically visible displacement on the serif letterforms of LIBERTY and the date digits. The slanted collar scratch serves as a die-specific fingerprint that distinguishes this working die from other 1961 doubled die obverses produced from different dies that may share the same hub doubling characteristics.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Brian A. Ribar
• Wexler Variety ID: 1961 WDDO-015 Proof
• Expert attribution by Brian A. Ribar

External References