1972-S Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-006

Description

Completing the core documented sequence at position six, WDDR-006 (Wexler reference 1972-S 50-cent Proof WDDR-006) rounds out the known cluster of six cataloged doubled die reverses for the 1972-S proof Kennedy Half Dollar. The existence of six distinct DDR varieties on a single proof date is extraordinary in the broader Kennedy Half Dollar series and places the 1972-S alongside dates like 1964 and 1998-S as focal points for Kennedy variety collectors. Each of the six WDDR entries — from 001 through 006 — represents a physically separate reverse working die that acquired detectable hub-doubling during the die-sinking process, with each die carrying its own unique constellation of die markers (gouges, scratches, cracks, and dots) that serve as the fingerprint distinguishing it from the other five. The 40% silver clad composition used for 1972-S proof half dollars (11.5 grams, with silver-bearing outer layers bonded to a silver-copper core) gives these coins a distinctive ring, edge appearance, and weight that differentiate them from the copper-nickel clad composition adopted for circulation-strike Kennedy Half Dollars beginning in 1971. The proof striking process — polished dies, polished planchets, multiple impressions at elevated tonnage — ensures that the hub-doubling present on each of these six dies was transferred with maximum fidelity to every coin struck, producing specimens where the doubling can be examined with precision under standard numismatic magnification. Gilroy Roberts' obverse portrait of President Kennedy and Frank Gasparro's heraldic eagle reverse together frame whatever doubling zones are present on this sixth variety in the series. Collectors assembling the complete 1972-S DDR set must locate and attribute each of the six varieties individually using published die marker photographs and measurements.

Attribution History

• Wexler Variety ID: 1972-S 50¢ Pr WDDR-006
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References