2005 Doubled Die Reverse WDDR-001

Description

Attributed by Kenneth Russell and carrying the Wexler Variety ID 2005 D WDDR-001 Business Strike Ocean in View, this doubled die reverse variety appears on a 2005 Denver Mint Jefferson nickel from the Westward Journey series. The Ocean in View design, depicting the Pacific coastline with William Clark's November 1805 journal exclamation, was the final reverse in the two-year Westward Journey program that commemorated the Lewis and Clark expedition's bicentennial. The nickel is composed of 75% copper and 25% nickel, weighing 5.0 grams with a 21.2 mm diameter. Cross-referenced as CDDR-001 and CONECA DDR-001, this variety holds the primary first-listed position across multiple attribution services, indicating it was likely among the earliest doubled die reverse varieties discovered on the 2005 Denver Mint Ocean in View nickel. Kenneth Russell's discovery and attribution of WDDR-001 established the beginning of what would become an extensive DDR catalog for this design, as variety hunters systematically examined the new commemorative design looking for hub doubling. The Denver Mint's business strike production of Ocean in View nickels complemented Philadelphia's output, and the D mintmark provides an immediate differentiation point when distinguishing this variety from the numerous Philadelphia Mint DDR varieties also cataloged on the same design. The Westward Journey program's significance in error and variety collecting extends beyond the individual varieties discovered; the program demonstrated that limited-duration commemorative designs generate intensive collector scrutiny that yields proportionally more variety discoveries per unit of production than long-running standard designs, where searching can become less systematic over time. WDDR-001's primary catalog position makes it a natural first acquisition for collectors building a comprehensive set of 2005 Ocean in View nickel doubled die varieties.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Kenneth Russell
• CDDR-001/CONECA DDR-001; Wexler Variety ID: 2005 D WDDR-001 Business Strike Ocean in View
• Expert attribution by Kenneth Russell

External References