1967 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-004

Description

Fourth in the obverse doubled die census for the 1967 Kennedy half dollar, DDO-004 presents medium triple spread on the letters ER of LIBERTY and the hair beneath the R, with additional light spread visible on the letters TY of LIBERTY. The triple spread designation indicates this die received three distinct hub impressions — the primary and two secondary — creating a more complex displacement pattern than a standard doubled die, with the ER and hair area showing the most pronounced effect while TY carries a subtler tertiary impression. VarietyVista assigned die identifiers UVC-111 and DMR-006, documenting three die stages: Stage A at early die state (unconfirmed), Stage B where both obverse and reverse surfaces reach mid die state, and Stage C at late die state (unconfirmed). The comments note "SMS" — identifying this as a Special Mint Set variety, the special finish coins produced at the Philadelphia facility between 1965 and 1967 in lieu of traditional proof sets during Congress's mandated mintmark removal period. SMS coins feature a satin-to-prooflike finish that provides enhanced detail and surface quality, making hub doubling diagnostics more readily visible than on business strike specimens. The Kennedy half dollar's silver-clad composition during 1967 (40% silver) combined with the SMS finish creates a distinctive surface character. DDO-004 as a triple spread variety on an SMS coin represents a particularly interesting intersection of die variety and special production technique. Collectors should source 1967 SMS Kennedy halves and examine ER in LIBERTY and the underlying hair detail under 10-15x magnification, where the medium triple spread creates layered secondary impressions, while TY shows lighter but confirmable additional displacement from the third hub impression.

Die Markers

• UVC-111
• DMR-006
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Obverse and Reverse are MDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Larry Briggs
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References