1961 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-002

Description

Light spread on LIBERTY, UST of TRUST, and the designer's initials JS running top to bottom characterizes this second DDO for the 1961 Roosevelt Silver Dime. Die stage documentation under UVC-363 and DMR-004 tracks three states: Stage A in Early Die State (unconfirmed), Stage B with obverse and reverse in Mid-Die State, and Stage C in Late Die State (unconfirmed). The top-to-bottom spread direction indicates a vertical component to the hub misalignment, producing displacement that varies across the obverse from the upper LIBERTY through TRUST to the lower designer's initials. Cataloged by VarietyVista, the 1961 Roosevelt Dime was struck in 90% silver at Philadelphia, one of the final silver-composition dates before the Coinage Act of 1965 ended silver in circulating dimes. John R. Sinnock's portrait of President Roosevelt, first introduced in 1946, features LIBERTY along the left rim and IN GOD WE TRUST along the lower obverse, and the light spread on these elements requires careful magnification to confirm. The designer's initials JS appear at the base of Roosevelt's neck, and their inclusion in the doubling pattern provides a lower anchor point for measuring the spread direction. DDO-002 holds the secondary position in the 1961 doubled die obverse catalog, following DDO-001 in attribution sequence.

Die Markers

• UVC-363
• DMR-004
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Obverse and Reverse are MDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Delma K. Romines
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References