1971-D Doubled Die Obverse DDO-015

Description

Fifteenth in the obverse doubled die census for the 1971-D Kennedy half dollar, DDO-015 presents strong spread on LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, and the date — a comprehensive hub displacement affecting the major inscription fields of Gilroy Roberts's Kennedy portrait obverse. The strong designation elevates DDO-015 above the light and medium spread varieties that populate most of the Kennedy half dollar DDO census, indicating dramatic doubling visible at moderate magnification. VarietyVista assigned identifiers UVC-545 and DMR-021, documenting three progressively deteriorating die stages: Stage A where both obverse and reverse surfaces exhibit early die state characteristics; Stage B at mid die state (unconfirmed); and Stage C where the obverse has reached late die state, accompanied by a strong die clash visible through the HALF DOLLAR inscription. The LDS Stage C notation with die clash evidence provides a compelling late-stage diagnostic — the die clash transferred reverse design elements onto the obverse, creating ghost lettering from HALF DOLLAR that persists on specimens struck after the clash event. An additional classification note identifies the obverse as ODV-003 (Obverse Design Variant 003). Denver struck approximately 302.1 million clad Kennedy half dollars in 1971, the first year of copper-nickel clad production after the 40% silver composition of 1965-1970. The convergence of strong hub doubling with late die state clash evidence on the same die makes DDO-015 a particularly interesting variety for collectors, as specimens can exhibit both the original manufacturing doubled die and the progressive die clash that developed during production. Examination at 10-15x magnification should reveal strong doubled impressions on LIBERTY, IGWT, and the date.

Die Markers

• UVC-545
• DMR-021
• Stage A:
• Obverse and Reverse are EDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• Obverse is LDS
• Strong die clash through HALF DOLLAR – LDS

Attribution History

• Discovered by Larry Nienaber
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References