1968-S Doubled Die Obverse DDO-004

Description

Reported by Tony Lewis, DDO-004 on the 1968-S proof Washington quarter exhibits very light spread confined to ERTY — the final four letters of LIBERTY — and is paired with reverse die variety RDV-007. The 1968-S proof holds historical significance as the first proof quarter to carry a mintmark in the modern era: proof production moved from Philadelphia to San Francisco in 1968 and the S mintmark appeared on proofs for the first time since the 1950s, ending the mintmark-free period of 1965-1967. Very light spread represents the subtlest category of hub doubling, requiring examination at 7x or higher with angled lighting to detect. The confinement to ERTY rather than full LIBERTY suggests the hub displacement produced its strongest effect on the right portion of the inscription. As a proof coin, the mirror fields and sharply struck devices eliminate bag marks and wear that might otherwise mask subtle diagnostics. The RDV-007 die pairing provides reverse confirmation for complete attribution.

External References