1971-S Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-009

Description

Assigned Wexler Variety ID 1971-S 50c Pr WDDO-009 by the Wexler Team, this doubled die obverse is found on the 1971-S proof Kennedy half dollar from the San Francisco Mint. Struck in copper-nickel clad composition, the coin weighs 11.34 grams at 30.6 mm diameter and is part of the Kennedy Half Dollars Clad and Silver Proof 1971 to Date series. Among the cluster of doubled die obverse varieties on the 1971-S proof Kennedy, WDDO-009 was one of the earlier varieties cataloged, indicating it was identified during the initial wave of variety research on this remarkably prolific date. The Kennedy half dollar was authorized by Congress in December 1963, just weeks after President Kennedy's assassination, and the first coins were released in March 1964 to enormous public demand, with lines forming at banks across the country. By 1971, the series had transitioned through three compositions: 90% silver in 1964, 40% silver-clad from 1965 to 1970, and the copper-nickel clad composition used from 1971 onward. Each composition change altered the striking characteristics, and the 1971 clad proofs established the standard that would continue for decades. The proof striking process at the San Francisco Mint involves polishing each planchet to a mirror-like finish before striking it twice between specially prepared dies, resulting in coins of exceptional clarity where doubled die effects are preserved with remarkable fidelity, enabling precise attribution of each distinct variety within the large 1971-S doubled die obverse population.

Attribution History

• Wexler Variety ID: 1971-S 50¢ Pr WDDO-009
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References