1971-S Doubled Die Obverse WDDO-006

Description

Sixth among the documented DDOs for the 1971-S proof silver Eisenhower Dollar, WDDO-006 (Wexler reference 1971-S $1 Pr WDDO-006) sits at the midpoint of a variety family that spans at least eleven entries. The 1971-S proof Eisenhower Dollar's 40% silver composition distinguishes it from the copper-nickel clad business strikes produced at Philadelphia and Denver, and the silver content affects both the striking characteristics and the surface quality of the finished coins. Silver alloy is generally softer than copper-nickel clad, which means proof dies striking silver planchets may experience different wear patterns and potentially longer useful life, affecting the population dynamics of coins struck from any given die — including those with doubled die characteristics. Frank Gasparro's obverse portrait of Eisenhower on the dollar-size planchet (38.1 mm, 24.59 grams) offers the largest canvas for DDO attribution in the standard U.S. series, with Ike's forehead creases, ear detail, and hair texture providing fine-line diagnostic zones where hub displacement appears as doubled contours. The San Francisco Mint was the exclusive producer of silver Eisenhower Dollars throughout the series' 1971-1978 run, and the concentration of all silver proof DDO varieties at this single mint facility gives researchers a controlled production environment for studying the frequency and characteristics of hub misalignment events. WDDO-006 adds to this dataset as a documented instance of the phenomenon from the series' opening year.

Attribution History

• Wexler Variety ID: 1971-S $1 Pr WDDO-006
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References