1971-S Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-036

Description

Attributed by Charles Vance, this proof 1971-S Jefferson Nickel displays Class II distorted hub doubling with very close doubling visible on LIBERTY, the star, the date, and Felix Schlag's designer initials FS. Class II doubling occurs when the hub is slightly distorted during die manufacture, creating a consistent spread across the affected elements. The very close nature of this doubling means magnification is essential for detection — the secondary image sits tight against the primary, producing a subtle thickening effect rather than a wide separation. As a San Francisco proof issue, this coin was struck on specially prepared polished planchets producing mirror-like fields, and the proof surface quality can actually make very close doubling more detectable than on business strikes. A die gouge near the back of Jefferson's collar serves as the obverse die marker. On the reverse, a vertical die gouge appears above CA of AMERICA and a die gouge sits below the left side of the crossbar on the first T of STATES. Cross-referenced as Wexler Variety ID 1971-S WDDO-036 Proof, the high sequence number reflects intensive research on this proof date.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Charles Vance
• Wexler Variety ID: 1971-S WDDO-036 Proof
• Expert attribution by Charles Vance

External References