1972-S Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-005

Description

Fifth in the expanding census of doubled die reverses on the 1972-S proof Kennedy Half Dollar, WDDR-005 (Wexler reference 1972-S 50-cent Proof WDDR-005) pushes the documented DDR count for this single proof date to at least five distinct reverse working dies — a concentration that ranks among the highest for any individual Kennedy Half Dollar proof issue. The 1972-S proof's prolific DDR output likely stems from a combination of factors specific to that year's die preparation: the volume of proof sets ordered (over 3.2 million in 1972), necessitating numerous working dies that each required multiple hubbing passes; the 40% silver clad composition whose metallurgical properties may have introduced slight dimensional variations during hubbing; and the inherent susceptibility of the multi-step die-sinking process to alignment errors that compound across successive generations of hubs and dies. Each WDDR variety in the 1972-S sequence represents a unique reverse working die with its own die marker fingerprint — gouges, scratches, dots, and cracks that distinguish one die from all others — even when the doubling may affect similar design elements across multiple varieties, since the hub misalignment geometry can repeat if the same flawed working hub was used for multiple dies. The 40% silver clad composition (total weight 11.5 grams) gives these proof half dollars a distinctive edge appearance showing the characteristic silver-copper-silver sandwich visible on the coin's rim, distinguishing them from the copper-nickel clad composition used for circulation strikes. Collectors building a comprehensive 1972-S DDR set face the dual challenge of locating examples of each variety and correctly attributing them using the die markers that differentiate WDDR-005 from its four-plus siblings.

Attribution History

• Wexler Variety ID: 1972-S 50¢ Pr WDDR-005
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References