1967 Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-004

Description

Documented as WDDO-004 in the Wexler obverse doubled die census for the 1967 Jefferson nickel, this variety exhibits Class II (Distorted Hub) doubling producing a close spread directed toward the center of the die on IN GOD WE TRUST, the L of LIBERTY, and the designer's initials FS — Felix Schlag's monogram that appears on the obverse beneath the bust truncation. The centerward directionality of the spread indicates that the distorted hub produced an impression where the affected design elements on the secondary impression are displaced inward relative to the primary, a configuration that distinguishes this variety from the more common outward-spreading Class II types. The obverse die marker — a small die gouge appearing as a dot to the upper left of the W in WE — provides a precise diagnostic for confirming the correct die, while the reverse carries no noted markers. The 1967 date is numismatically significant because it falls within the 1965-1967 period when the Mint eliminated mintmarks from all coinage to discourage hoarding and collecting during the coin shortage, meaning this nickel was produced at either Philadelphia or Denver but bears no mintmark to indicate its origin. Additionally, 1965-1967 nickels could have been included in Special Mint Sets rather than traditional proof sets, adding another production category to consider. The Class II distorted hub mechanism means the working hub itself carried an asymmetric profile, and this distortion was imparted to the die during sinking rather than through misalignment between hub and die. Collectors should first locate the small dot gouge to the upper left of the W in WE to confirm the die identity, then examine IN GOD WE TRUST, the L of LIBERTY, and the FS initials at 15-20x magnification for the centerward displacement pattern.

Die Markers

• Obverse: Small die gouge (dot) to upper left of W of WE.
• Reverse: None noted.

External References