1969-S Doubled Die Reverse DDR-008

Description

Reaching the eighth entry in the doubled die reverse catalog for the 1969-S proof Kennedy Half Dollar, DDR-008 shows light spread across the lettering and on the stars beneath STATES OF AMERICA. While classified as light, the involvement of both text and star elements across a wide area makes the doubling detectable at multiple points, aiding attribution. VarietyVista catalogs this variety as UVC-468 and DMR-010, with a distinctive Stage A diagnostic: a die gouge at the northwest corner of the O in OF marks early die state, while the obverse also presents in early die state. Stages B and C record mid and late die state progression, both awaiting confirmation. The reverse is designated RDV-003, paired with ODV-002a — a modified die obverse. Struck in 40% silver clad at San Francisco, the 1969-S proof Kennedy Half Dollar belongs to the final era of silver-content proof halves before the composition change to copper-nickel clad in 1971. Eight doubled die reverses for this single date and mint underscores the richness of the Kennedy variety catalog during the late 1960s proof production era.

Die Markers

• UVC-468
• DMR-010
• Stage A:
• Die gouge Northwest corner of O of OF – EDS
• Obverse is EDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Larry Nienaber
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References