1971-S Doubled Die Reverse DDR-002

Description

Ranking second in the reverse doubled die lineup for the 1971-S Kennedy half dollar clad proof, DDR-002 exhibits medium spread on the inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and the heraldic stars positioned beneath those letters on Frank Gasparro's reverse design. VarietyVista assigned die identifiers UVC-392 and DMR-021, with three documented die stages: Stage A where both reverse and obverse surfaces are at early die state, Stage B where both have progressed to mid die state, and Stage C at late die state (unconfirmed). The confirmed progression through EDS and MDS provides collectors with a documented die state timeline for tracking specimen condition against the variety's production life. San Francisco began striking clad proof Kennedy half dollars in 1971, following the transition from the 40% silver-clad composition used during 1965-1970 to the standard copper-nickel clad format. The comment notation identifies this as a proof issue with Obverse Design Variant ODV-002, establishing a dual classification that combines the reverse hub doubling with a distinct obverse die variant — meaning this die marriage carries attributable characteristics on both sides. Medium spread on the stars beneath the inscription provides particularly effective diagnostics, as the five-pointed star geometry amplifies hub displacement into clearly visible doubled points that are more geometrically distinctive than the subtle thickening that characterizes light spread on letter forms. Proof striking on polished dies produces mirror-like fields that provide high-contrast backgrounds against which the doubled star images become especially apparent under moderate magnification. Collectors should examine the stars nearest the strongest portion of the UNITED STATES inscription doubling, using 10-15x magnification under angled lighting to reveal the secondary star impressions displaced from the primary positions.

Die Markers

• UVC-392
• DMR-021
• Stage A:
• Reverse and Obverse are EDS
• Stage B:
• Reverse and Obverse are MDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Lee Hiemke
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References