1974-S Variety WMHR-001

Description

Sharing the identical master hub reverse doubling documented on the 1974-P Eisenhower dollar WMHR-001, this 1974-S proof variant exhibits the same center-directed spread on ONE DOLLAR, the designer's initials (FG), and the lunar craters on Frank Gasparro's eagle-landing-on-the-moon reverse. The proof designation establishes this as a San Francisco Mint striking on specially prepared planchets using polished dies, producing the mirror fields and frosted devices that characterize proof Eisenhower dollars. San Francisco struck approximately 2.77 million 40% silver proof Eisenhower dollars in 1974, plus additional copper-nickel clad proofs, all using working dies derived from the same doubled master hub that propagated the WMHR-001 doubling across the entire 1974-1978 production span. The CONECA cross-reference SD-2-R-II-C+VI classifies the doubling mechanism as Class II plus Class VI, and the master hub origin means working dies with identical doubling patterns exist for 1974, 1977, and 1978 — the doubling appearing on proofs and business strikes alike from any facility using dies in this lineage. Differences in apparent doubling strength across specimens from different years and mint facilities result from cumulative wear through the die production hierarchy: master hub to master die, master die to working hub, working hub to working die, and finally die to coin — each transfer slightly attenuating the original displacement. Cross-referenced as Wexler Variety ID: 1974-S $1 Pr WMHR-001. On proof specimens, the high-contrast surfaces make the center-directed spread on ONE DOLLAR and the craters more visually accessible than on business strikes, as the frosted device detail against mirror fields accentuates even subtle thickness differences caused by the hub doubling.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Various Cross References: CONECA: SD-2-R-II-C+VI Comments: Because this was a master hub it was intended to be used over a period of several years. Working dies with the exact same doubling are known to exist for the years 1974, 1977, and 1978. Differences in the appearance of the doubling will result from master hub wear, master die wear, working hub wear, working die wear, as well as coin wear.
• CONECA: SD-2-R-II-C+VI Comments: Because this was a master hub it was intended to be used over a period of several years. Working dies with the exact same doubling are known to exist for the years 1974, 1977, and 1978. Differences in the appearance of the doubling will result from master hub wear, master die wear, working hub wear, working die wear, as well as coin wear.; Wexler Variety ID: 1974-S $1 Pr WMHR-001
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References