1971-S Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-003

Description

Bearing the Wexler designation 1971-S 50¢ Pr WDDO-003, this is one of the earliest cataloged doubled die obverse varieties for the prolific 1971-S proof Kennedy half dollar. The San Francisco Mint produced this copper-nickel clad proof coin at 11.34 grams and 30.6 mm diameter, part of the Kennedy Half Dollars Clad and Silver Proof 1971 to Date series. The WDDO-003 number suggests this was among the first doubled die obverse varieties identified for the date, likely indicating a more prominent or more easily detectable doubling spread compared to higher-numbered listings that were discovered subsequently. Hub doubling on proof coins from San Francisco occurs through the same mechanical process as on business strikes — misalignment during die hubbing — but the superior surface quality and strike definition of proof coins means the doubling is typically easier to detect and photograph. The 1971-S date stands as a landmark in Kennedy half dollar variety collecting, hosting the largest concentration of documented doubled die obverse varieties of any date in the series. This concentration may reflect specific hubbing equipment or procedures in use at San Francisco during 1971 production, or it may partly reflect the intense scrutiny that this date has received from variety specialists over the decades since issue. Collectors should exercise care in attributing among the many similar WDDO varieties for this date, using the specific die markers documented in the Wexler files to confirm the exact die pair.

Attribution History

• Wexler Variety ID: 1971-S 50¢ Pr WDDO-003
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References