1968-S Doubled Die Obverse DDO-013

Description

Cataloged by VarietyVista with technical data UVC-1335 and DMR-019, this thirteenth doubled die obverse for the 1968-S Jefferson Nickel exhibits light spread on the designer's initials (FS for Felix Schlag) and the date, accompanied by extra thickness on IN GOD WE TRUST and LIBERTY. Three die stages are documented: Stage A with both obverse and reverse in Early-to-Mid Die State (EMDS), Stage B in Mid Die State (unconfirmed), and Stage C in Late Die State (unconfirmed). The comments note similarity to DDO-030 but with a different mintmark position, providing a comparative diagnostic that helps collectors distinguish between related but distinct doubled die varieties. The 1968-S Jefferson Nickel was the first S-mint nickel struck since the pre-1955 era, as the San Francisco Mint resumed production of circulating coinage after the mintmark moratorium of 1965-1967. This resumption introduced new die preparation workflows at San Francisco, and the hand-punching of S mintmarks into dies that had been hubbed at Philadelphia created opportunities for both repunched mintmarks and positional variation that serves as a secondary diagnostic for die attribution. Thirteen doubled die obverses for the 1968-S nickel reflects substantial variety research on this date, and the UVC/DMR technical codes — Universal Variety Code 1335 and Die Marker Reference 019 — place this variety within VarietyVista's comprehensive tracking system. The distinction from DDO-030 based on mintmark position underscores the importance of examining all design elements, not just the doubled features, when making attributions on dies that received individually hand-punched mintmarks.

Die Markers

• UVC-1335
• DMR-019
• Stage A:
• Obverse and Reverse are EMDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Timothy Wissert
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References