1969-S Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-003

Description

Submitted by Jennifer Casazza and attributed by the Wexler Team, WDDR-003 for the 1969-S proof Kennedy half dollar exhibits a clockwise Class I spread affecting USA, HALF DOLLAR, all stars in the heraldic circle, and the arrow feathers on the reverse. The breadth of affected design elements -- spanning text, stars, and eagle details -- confirms that this is a full-rotation doubling event rather than a localized distortion, consistent with the Class I mechanism where the hub rotates uniformly between successive die impressions. No obverse die markers were noted, but two reverse features anchor the die identification: a light die gouge extends southwest from the rim over the R in AMERICA, and a small die gouge sits in the feathers to the left of the E in EPU (E PLURIBUS UNUM). Cross-referenced as Wexler Variety ID 1969-S 50¢ Pr WDDR-003, this listing falls within the silver-clad Kennedy half dollar proof production of 1965-1970, a transitional period when proof halves contained 40% silver rather than the 90% silver of pre-1965 issues. San Francisco struck 2,934,631 proof sets in 1969, and the silver-clad composition gives these proofs inherent bullion value alongside their numismatic interest. The arrow feather doubling is particularly diagnostically useful because the feathers radiate outward in fine parallel lines that multiply any rotational displacement, making even close hub doubling visible where it might be imperceptible on broader, smoother design elements.

Attribution History

• Wexler Variety ID: 1969-S 50¢ Pr WDDR-003
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References