1971-S Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-013

Description

The Wexler Team attributed this doubled die obverse as WDDO-013 with Variety ID 1971-S 50c Pr WDDO-013, found on the 1971-S proof Kennedy half dollar struck at the San Francisco Mint. This copper-nickel clad coin weighs 11.34 grams at 30.6 mm diameter, belonging to the Kennedy Half Dollars Clad and Silver Proof 1971 to Date series. The thirteenth cataloged doubled die obverse for the 1971-S proof Kennedy half dollar, this variety is part of an exceptionally well-documented population of hub doubling varieties from this single date. The 1971-S is widely considered the richest single date-mintmark combination for Kennedy half dollar doubled dies, a distinction that has made it a mandatory stop for serious variety collectors working through the series. The San Francisco Mint's proof production in 1971 utilized die manufacturing techniques that required multiple hub impressions, and the sheer volume of working dies needed for annual proof set production ensured that a meaningful percentage would exhibit detectable hub misalignment. Gilroy Roberts crafted the Kennedy obverse portrait working from photographs of the young president, and the design's fine detail in the hair texture, ear contour, and jawline provides an exacting canvas where hub misalignment creates observable doubled die characteristics. Proof coins from this year are typically well preserved in their original proof set packaging, allowing variety researchers and collectors to examine pristine specimens under optimal conditions for identifying the secondary hub impressions that define each distinct WDDO variety.

Attribution History

• Wexler Variety ID: 1971-S 50¢ Pr WDDO-013
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References