2005-S Doubled Die Reverse DDR-010

Description

Tenth in the reverse doubled die census for the 2005-S Jefferson nickel Westward Journey "American Bison" proof, DDR-010 presents light spread in a northward direction on the lowest left branch of the right tree. VarietyVista assigned die identifiers UVC-1672 and DMR-011, with Stage A tracking showing the reverse at early die state and a small die gouge dot below the U of TRUST also at EDS. Stages B and C follow at mid and late die state respectively, both unconfirmed. The Stage A die gouge dot below the U of TRUST provides an important attribution aid — locating this small raised dot confirms the correct die pair before undertaking the detailed examination of the tree branches for subtle northward spread. The commentary notes this variety was found in a Silver Proof Set, placing it among the premium San Francisco proof strikes made from specially polished dies on silver-composition planchets. The 2005-S proof "American Bison" reverse, designed by Jamie Franki, features detailed background foliage that includes the right tree whose lowest left branch carries the diagnostic doubling. Light northward spread indicates the secondary hub impression landed slightly above the primary, and the lowest branch of the right tree — extending outward near the ground plane of the landscape — provides a defined diagnostic target where the vertical displacement can be measured against the branch's natural angle. San Francisco proof production employed polished dies and specially prepared planchets to produce mirror-field, frosted-device finishes, and the enhanced surface quality of silver proofs can actually aid doubled die detection by providing cleaner contrast between design elements. Collectors should locate the die gouge dot below the U of TRUST first, then examine the lowest left branch of the right-hand tree under 15-20x magnification, looking for a slight upward displacement of the secondary impression that creates a widened or doubled appearance on the branch's lower edge.

Die Markers

• UVC-1672
• DMR-011
• Stage A:
• Reverse is EDS
• Small die gouge dot below U of TRUST – EDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by James Wiles
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References