1970-D Doubled Die Reverse DDR-007

Description

Light spread on the letters and stars under UNITED STATES OF, combined with rotational spread on the letters and stars under AMERICA, gives DDR-007 for the 1970-D Kennedy half dollar a distinctive bifurcated doubling pattern where two different spread directions coexist on the same reverse die. VarietyVista cataloged this variety under UVC-418 with die markers reference DMR-009, documenting a Stage A with the reverse in early die state accompanied by three thin long die scratches extending northwest from the eye on the obverse, also in EDS. Stages B and C at mid and late die state remain unconfirmed. The comments record that the reverse is classified as RDV-002 (Flared G), referring to a specific reverse design variant identified by the flared styling of the letter G in the designer's initials. Coins from this die pair can be found in 1970 Mint Sets, providing collectors with a targeted search venue. Denver struck 2,150,000 half dollars in 1970, a drastically low mintage that makes the 1970-D Kennedy half dollar one of the key dates in the clad era of the series. This low production figure was driven by the Mint's decision to limit half dollar output as the denomination was being increasingly hoarded for its silver content (even though 1970-D halves are copper-nickel clad, the public had not yet adjusted its behavior). The combination of a genuinely scarce date with a documented DDR variety and the specific RDV-002 Flared G reverse classification creates a multi-layered attribution that appeals to specialists across several Kennedy half dollar collecting disciplines.

Die Markers

• UVC-418
• DMR-009
• Stage A:
• Reverse is EDS
• Three thin long die scratches extending Northwest from eye – EDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Ken Glickman
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References