1965 Doubled Die Reverse DDR-004

Description

VarietyVista cataloged this 1965 Kennedy half dollar as DDR-004, a doubled die reverse showing medium spread on the stars in the heraldic circle, with the strongest doubling at the top of the reverse. Additional doubling appears on the stars between the rays, stars behind the eagle's head, and notched lower corners on AMERICA. Cross-referenced as FS-802 (Cherrypickers' Guide), this Fivaz-Stanton-listed variety has earned recognition as a significant Kennedy half dollar variety. The 1965 Kennedy half is a silver-clad issue weighing 11.5 grams and measuring 30.6 mm in diameter, composed of an outer layer of 80% silver and 20% copper bonded to a core of 20.9% silver, 79.1% copper. Tracked under Universal Variety Code UVC-070 and Die Marker Reference DMR-010, the die exhibits three stages: Stage A at early die state (unconfirmed), Stage B where the reverse is at mid die state with light die scratches running southwest from the profile and the obverse also at mid die state, and Stage C where both reverse and obverse reach late die state. The Kennedy Half Dollars Silver Clad 1965-1970 series represents a transitional composition mandated by the Coinage Act of 1965, which reduced silver content from the 90% used in 1964 to the 40% silver-clad composition used through 1970. Gilroy Roberts designed the obverse portrait and Frank Gasparro created the heraldic eagle reverse, a design combination that has defined the Kennedy half dollar since its 1964 introduction following President Kennedy's assassination. The FS-802 listing in the Cherrypickers' Guide elevates this variety to essential status for Kennedy variety collectors.

Die Markers

• UVC-070
• DMR-010
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Reverse is MDS
• Light die scratches Southwest from profile – MDS
• Stage C:
• Reverse and and Obverse are LDS

Attribution History

• Discovered by Lou Coles
• FS-802
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References