1968-S Doubled Die Obverse DDO-002

Description

Cataloged by VarietyVista as DDO-002 and cross-referenced as FS-101, this 1968-S Kennedy half dollar proof doubled die obverse is one of the most significant varieties in the Kennedy Half Dollars Silver Clad 1965-1970 series. The variety exhibits strong spread on all lettering, with particularly prominent doubling on the R of TRUST and the 8 of the date. Tracked under Universal Variety Code UVC-137 and Die Marker Reference DMR-004, four die states have been documented: Stage A with both obverse and reverse in early die state; Stage B at early-to-mid die state with a die gouge beside the star under the U of UNITED; Stage C at mid die state where the die gouge under U has been abraded away; and Stage D at late die state, unconfirmed. This proof coin was struck at the San Francisco Mint using the RDV-002 (Flared G) reverse die variety, adding another layer of attribution interest. The 1968-S proof half dollar is a silver-clad issue containing 40% silver in the outer layers bonded to a 21.5% silver core, weighing 11.5 grams with a 30.6 mm diameter. Gilroy Roberts designed the obverse portrait of President John F. Kennedy, and the strong doubling on this die makes it a top-tier Kennedy half variety. The FS-101 designation in the Fivaz-Stanton Cherry Pickers' Guide, listed as item 014, confirms its status as a premier collectible variety in the series.

Die Markers

• UVC-137
• DMR-004
• Stage A:
• Obverse and Reverse are EDS
• Stage B:
• Obverse is EMDS
• Die gouge beside star under U of UNITED – EMDS
• Stage C:
• Obverse is MDS
• Die gouge under U of UNITED  is gone – MDS
• Stage D:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Unknown
• FS-101
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References