1976-S Variety WMDO-001

Description

Attributed by the Wexler Team, this 1976-S Bicentennial Half Dollar carries master die doubling on the obverse classified as Class II — distorted hub doubling — that manifests towards the center on the dates. As a master die doubled variety (WMDO), the doubling originated during the production of the master die rather than on an individual working die, meaning every working die subsequently produced from this master inherits the same doubling. This distinction is critical for collectors because master die doubled varieties can appear on coins from multiple working die pairs, potentially making them more available than single-die DDO varieties. Cross-referenced as CONECA MD-1-O-II, the variety carries dual attribution under the two major classification systems for die doubling. The 1976-S Kennedy Half Dollar proof was part of the Bicentennial program celebrating America's 200th anniversary, featuring Seth Huntington's Independence Hall reverse replacing the standard Heraldic Eagle. The dual date "1776-1976" on the obverse is where the master die doubling appears, adding numismatic interest to an already historically significant design. Die markers will vary across different working dies since the doubling is inherited at the master die level — a diagnostic feature that separates master die doubling from standard working die doubling. The San Francisco Mint produced proof Bicentennial half dollars in both copper-nickel clad and 40% silver compositions, and this WMDO-001 variety can potentially appear on either metallic composition since both would have used working dies descended from the same master die.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Not noted Cross References: CONECA: MD-1-O-II
• CONECA: MD-1-O-II; Wexler Variety ID: 1976-S $1 Pr WMDO-001
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References