1965 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-001

Description

Marking the first year of clad composition Roosevelt Dimes following the Coinage Act of 1965, WDDO-001 for the 1965 date documents a very close spread toward the center visible on the designer's initials JS (for John R. Sinnock), with slight doubling also detected on IN GOD WE TRUST and LIBERTY. The transitional significance of 1965 cannot be overstated: this was the year the United States permanently ended silver content in dimes and quarters, switching to the copper-nickel clad composition that remains standard today. The extreme hoarding of 1964-dated silver coins created unprecedented demand for 1965 production, and the Mint struck enormous quantities of dimes without mint marks throughout 1965-1967 to discourage date-specific hoarding. Die markers aid attribution: a short die gouge extends northwest from the top of the 5 in the date, and another short die gouge runs northeast from the top of the I in IN. No significant reverse markers were noted. Attributed by the Wexler Team with no known cross-references, this variety stands as the primary doubled die obverse for the 1965 Roosevelt Dime. The spread toward the center — characteristic of Class II distorted hub doubling — is consistent with the compression effects that occur when the hub deforms under the massive forces applied during the die sinking process. Collectors seeking this variety should focus first on the designer's initials, where the doubling is most pronounced, before confirming with the more subtle spread on IGWT and LIBERTY.

Attribution History

• Discovered by John Bordner Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1965 10¢ WDDO-001
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References