1972 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-004

Description

Fourth in the obverse doubled die census for the 1972 Eisenhower dollar, DDO-004 presents light spread on the center and lower points of the W in WE and the upper serif of the numeral 1 in the date. Frank Gasparro designed the Eisenhower dollar obverse featuring a bold left-facing portrait of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, with the denomination striking its debut year in 1971 as a large-format dollar coin replacing the Peace dollar series that had been discontinued since 1935. VarietyVista assigned identifiers UVC-116 and DMR-007, documenting three die stages: Stage A where both obverse and reverse surfaces display early die state characteristics, Stage B at mid die state (unconfirmed), and Stage C at late die state (unconfirmed). The EDS confirmation for Stage A ensures specimens with fresh die surfaces have been verified. An additional classification note identifies the reverse as RDV-003 (Reverse Design Variant 003), connecting this die to a specific reverse hub within the Eisenhower dollar production lineage. Philadelphia struck approximately 75.89 million clad Eisenhower dollars in 1972 for circulation, a substantial production run that employed numerous die pairs. The light spread on the W of WE and the upper serif of the 1 in the date represents a subtle hub displacement affecting both the motto inscription and the date — two zones that, while spatially separated on the obverse, respond to the same angular misalignment during the hubbing process. Collectors should examine the W of WE under 15-20x magnification, focusing on the center junction and lower points where the secondary impression produces thickened or slightly displaced strokes, then confirm by checking the upper serif of the 1.

Die Markers

• UVC-116
• DMR-007
• Stage A:
• Obverse and Reverse are EDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Timothy Wissert
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References