2009 Doubled Die Obverse DDO-001

Description

Cataloged by VarietyVista with attribution codes UVC-1803 and DMR-003, this 2009 DC & US Territories Quarter exhibits medium southward spread manifesting as an extra earlobe on Washington\'s portrait — a visually prominent doubling feature where the hub displacement created a secondary impression of the ear\'s lower lobe, producing a clearly doubled anatomical element on the obverse. Three documented die stages record the die\'s progression: Stage A in early die state (unconfirmed), Stage B in early-to-mid die state showing a die crack from the northeast portion of the island on the reverse, a die crack across the front of Washington\'s bust on the obverse, and a die chip east of the designer\'s initials, and Stage C in late die state (unconfirmed). The reference to an "island" on the reverse indicates this quarter\'s specific territorial reverse design features an island geographic element, consistent with territories such as the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, or the Northern Mariana Islands. The DC & US Territories Quarter program in 2009 extended the state quarter concept to the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories, each receiving a unique reverse design. Struck in copper-nickel clad composition weighing 5.67 grams at 24.3 mm diameter, the 2009 territorial quarters were produced in lower quantities than the preceding state quarters, contributing to their collector appeal. As DDO-001 for this specific territorial design, this variety holds the primary catalog position — typically indicating it was the first documented or most significant doubled die obverse for this particular date-design combination. The extra earlobe provides collectors with an immediately recognizable diagnostic feature that can be detected even at moderate magnification levels.

Die Markers

• UVC-1803
• DMR-003
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Die crack from Northeast portion of island – EMDS
• Die crack across front of bust – EMDS
• Die chip East of designer's initials
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Kenneth Russell
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References