1968-D Doubled Die Obverse DDO-003

Description

Light hub doubling on IN GOD WE TRUST and the date characterizes this third doubled die obverse for the 1968-D Kennedy Half Dollar, a Denver Mint business strike cataloged by VarietyVista. The 1968-D Kennedy Half was struck in 40% silver clad composition, part of the transitional period (1965-1970) between the 90% silver 1964 debut and the copper-nickel clad era beginning in 1971. Denver resumed mintmark usage in 1968 after the three-year hiatus (1965-1967) during which all U.S. coins bore no mint marks as part of the Treasury's effort to discourage coin hoarding during the mid-1960s silver shortage. Die stage documentation records UVC-127, DMR-004, with Stage A showing both obverse and reverse at early die state, Stage B at mid die state (unconfirmed), and Stage C at late die state (unconfirmed). The confirmed early die state means collectors can find this variety on sharply detailed specimens where the light doubling on the motto and date is at its most crisply defined. Light hub doubling on Kennedy Half Dollars requires careful examination because Gilroy Roberts' bold portrait design includes substantial areas of high relief where even minor doubling can be masked by the coin's deep sculptural features. Three documented obverse doubled dies for 1968-D reflects active variety research on early silver clad Kennedy Halves, which remain accessible to collectors due to the series' wide availability in the secondary market.

Die Markers

• UVC-127
• DMR-004
• Stage A:
• Obverse and Reverse are EDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Frank Baumann
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References