1964 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-017

Description

Struck during the inaugural year of the Kennedy Half Dollar — a 90% silver issue born from national mourning — DDO-017 displays medium spread with tripled serifs on IN GOD WE TRUST and the TY of LIBERTY, accompanied by doubling on the date, eye, hair at the back of the head, and below the R of LIBERTY. Cataloged by VarietyVista as UVC-022 and DMR-022 with die pair ODV-002/RDV-002, this variety is identified by the distinctive Flared G obverse die. Three die stages have been documented: Stage A exhibits both obverse and reverse early die state characteristics, Stage B at mid-die state remains unconfirmed, and Stage C shows a die crack running across the upper hair in late die state with the reverse also in late die state. The 1964 Kennedy Half Dollar holds a singular place in American numismatics as the coin Congress rushed into production within weeks of President Kennedy’s assassination, and the public hoarded them so aggressively that few ever circulated. Doubled die varieties from this emotionally charged first-year issue carry both numismatic and historical significance that sustains strong collector interest.

Die Markers

• UVC-022
• DMR-022
• Stage A:
• Obverse and Reverse are EDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• Die crack across upper hair – LDS
• Reverse is LDS

Attribution History

• Discovered by Pete Huddell
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References