1989-S Doubled Die Obverse DDO-001

Description

Proof-only and bearing the San Francisco mintmark, the 1989-S Washington Quarter DDO-001 shows light spread on the TY of LIBERTY, Washington's ponytail, the mintmark, and the ribbon end below the ponytail. Light classification means the secondary image sits close to the primary and requires careful magnification to resolve, but four separate design elements — legend letters, hair detail, mintmark, and ribbon — confirm a genuine hub doubling event across a broad area of the obverse die. Die markers UVC-1974 and DMR-002 anchor the attribution. Proof Washington Quarters from this era were struck exclusively at San Francisco for annual proof sets, using specially prepared dies and planchets that yield the characteristic mirror-field, frosted-device finish. The ponytail is a particularly useful diagnostic because its fine parallel lines amplify even subtle displacement. Similarly, the mintmark — a small S punched into the die — provides a compact area where doubling manifests as a thickened or shadowed letter. Collectors of proof Washington Quarter varieties seek DDO-001 for its multi-element obverse spread.

Die Markers

• UVC-1974
• DMR-002
• 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