1961 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-023

Description

Twenty-third in the obverse doubled die census for the 1961 Jefferson nickel proof, WDDO-023 displays Class II Distorted Hub Doubling on the motto IN GOD WE TRUST — Felix Schlag's obverse inscription positioned along the left rim above Jefferson's portrait. Class II doubling in the Wexler classification system results from a rotational pivot between hub impressions, where the working hub rotated slightly around a center point during the secondary impression, producing displacement that varies with distance from the axis of rotation. The obverse die carries a diagnostic die scratch below the date, while the reverse exhibits a die scratch on the rim below the TES of STATES, providing two independent secondary identifiers for confirming the correct die pairing. Cross-referenced as Wexler Variety ID: 1961 WDDO-023 Proof, this variety was struck at Philadelphia as part of the 1961 proof set production, which totaled approximately 3.03 million sets — a substantial output that nonetheless limits the population of any single proof-only die variety to the coins struck from that specific die before replacement. Brian A. Ribar, a prominent die variety researcher and attribution specialist, contributed the documentation for this variety. The proof format enhances the visibility of Class II doubling, as the mirror fields and frosted devices provide high-contrast surfaces that make even the rotational thickening of IN GOD WE TRUST more apparent than it would be on a business-strike surface. Collectors should first locate the die scratch below the date to confirm the correct obverse die, then examine IN GOD WE TRUST under 15-20x magnification to detect the rotational displacement characteristic of Class II doubling, where letters farther from the pivot point display greater separation than those closer to it.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Brian A. Ribar
• Wexler Variety ID: 1961 WDDO-023 Proof
• Expert attribution by Brian A. Ribar

External References