Can anyone tell me if this 39 D walker is the DDO
bagofnickels
Posts: 349 ✭✭✭✭
This is a 1939 D walking Liberty Half graded 65 by CACG. When I bought the coin I thought I could see doubling on IGWT and believed the coin might be the FS101 DDO. I didn't pay a premium for that guess or hope but now in hand I struggle to determine fully if it is or not.
Here are some images, taken using a scope in an attempt to cross reference with this page of treasure hunting walking Liberty halves. Also I've included the images from GC unfortunately this was a coin from before great photo was introduced so I don't have any high res images. One thing of note (potentially) is the heavy die polish seen on both this coin and every true view of an attributed FS101.
I was able to easily see the die scratch running from the D in 'GOD' to the Y in 'LIBERTY'. I believe I see the doubling on IGWT as well as on the stars and branches behind the head of liberty. I'm struggling with the reverse die scratch running from the eagles wing to the rim at 9:30.
Can anyone advise? Thank you in advance for any and all help, maybe this is a wild goose chase but I figured I'd ask the pros.
Comments
Doesn't look even close in those photos. Look at IGWT.
Thanks for the reply. Maybe a touch of pareidolia on my part here lol.
For me, the first T in Trust is the key. In the pictures of the actual coin it is thinner and not slightly notched as in the comparison picture, also the D in God does not show the same separation.
There is some extra thickness in the motto, so maybe a new minor doubled die?
Do not think so. Here are the first things I look for. If your coin looks like these, then could be. Copied from VarietyVista
Jim
When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth, he will either quit being mistaken or cease to be honest....Abraham Lincoln
Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.....Mark Twain
It is.
PCGS will attribute two die pairs for this variety. This particular coin matches the die polish on one of those die pairs.
Edited: It's not necessarily the true variety, but PCGS will probably say it is.
Coin Photographer.
It does look like a die scratch (polish?) from D of GOD to Y of LIBERTY.
Interesting. This is why I ask my questions here. In looking at the reverse image I actually see a die scratch running from the eagles wing to the rim at 9:30 now. It's barely visible in the GC images. It starts right above the S IN 'PLURIBUS'.
The doubling on iGWT is nowhere near as pronounced as some of the images I see researching the variety (like the ones @jesbroken posted) but neither are some of the attributed images I see of this variety.
For weak doubling like this, where there's obvious matching die polish, I just use the secondary characteristics. Much easier that way.
Coin Photographer.
Well this is not my series but it does appear to match the Wexler variety description for WDDO-002. There is suppose to be a die scratch from the "D" of God to the "Y" of Liberty. Your photo shows that die scratch as a match. Also your coin has a die scratch on the "L" of Liberty that matches Wexler photo. The mintmark location also matches photos of the Coinfacts coins.
Of course as FlyingAl stated, it appears that PCGS is attributing two different DDO's. So it is a roll of the dice as to what PCGS will attribute. I have turned in several Double Dies into PCGS and they say it is not the correct DDO, however there are photos in Coinfacts showing they have attributed several variations of the DDO. So it is a bit of a crap shoot.
But I think you have a good find, congrats.
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@norcaljack I guess the way to find out if this is indeed the variety is to submit it to PCGS and see if they think it is and pay for crossing it with variety attribution.
I don't know if it would be possible to resubmit it to CACG and if they attribute this variety. I see from they only attribute red book varieties but I don't see any DDO or variety listed in the Redbook for 1939 D.
will it increase the value more than the $100 it is going to cost?
It would likely have me break even IF it gets the attribution. I'm not into the coin for more than a 65 is worth. I'm not sure if I'll go through with sending it in.
from what some are implying, that CACG if submitted raw could go 66 or 66+ at PCGS
I had one of those once. I traded it off. The doubling wasn't so strong that it brought a premium. It was not attributed on the holder. The letters just looked thicker.
I'm not sure if they show some really strong doubling on some coins.
Whatever you decide to do with it good luck.
Student of numismatics and collector of Morgan dollars
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I think it's a strong 65 but it has some minor issues I would see preventing it from being a 66. I think CACG got the grade right on this one. There is a sizable jump in value for a 39 D DDO FS 101.
The DDO FS-101 die variety is cross-referenced as CONECA DDO-001 in the Cherry Picker's Guide. As another forum member mentioned above PCGS has for whatever reason(s) attributed at least one of the other DDOs (CONECA DDO-003) as the FS-101 variety including one of the recently created examples in MS67. From my experience in searching for the FS-101 the most reliable die marker I've always used is the obverse one listed by Dr. Wiles for CONECA DDO-001. Good Luck!