2005 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-001

Description

Popularly known among collectors for producing what appears to be an extra earlobe on Washington's portrait, the 2005 DDO-001 Minnesota State Quarter is the first cataloged doubled die obverse for this issue. The doubling creates a secondary impression near Washington's ear that mimics an additional earlobe — a visually striking anomaly that attracted widespread attention when first reported. Die markers under UVC-1528 and DMR-075 document three stages from early die state through mid-die state (unconfirmed) to late die state (unconfirmed), allowing attribution across the variety's production lifespan. The reverse features the Land of 10,000 Lakes design showcasing Minnesota's state outline, shoreline fishing scene, and abundant lakes and forests — one of the most detailed designs in the 50 State Quarters Program. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint, this copper-nickel clad quarter entered circulation during the program's peak popularity years. VarietyVista cataloged DDO-001 with systematic die stage tracking to document how the extra earlobe effect appears across different die states.

Die Markers

• UVC-1528
• DMR-075
• Stage A:
• Obverse and Reverse are EDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Dave Serbonich
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References