Need help with DDO's.....

Lakesammman

I'm often surprised how some DDO's are apparent on only portions of a coin and not all the devices. The pictures below are from 2 different coins. On the left is a well known DDO. On the right, a unknown. If the only doubled features on the coin to the right are those shown (ie: the neck and lips), can it be a DDO?? It doesn't look like strike doubling to me. Help from the experts would be appreciated.

seanq

It could be a doubled die, sure. There are numerous examples which, like your coin, show doubling only on the central features (DDO 1966 halves, 1984 cents, 1964 dimes, 1932 quarters, and 1880 dollars jump immediately to mind as examples).

If you really want to know for sure I'd suggest sending the coin to Rick Snow. Even if it is a DDO, I don't know how much of a premium it would command. You'll always have the thrill of the discovery, though.

Good luck,


Sean Reynolds

Lakesammman

It always amazes me that a DDO would show in such a small, localized area. Why is that??

jeffnpcb

See if you can get a copy of "The Cherrypickers' Guide". J.T. Stanton went through a bunch of detail on the types of doubling and it helps when you are looking at these. I'm more confused about them now than before. There are very few that are actual DD's and a bunch of others. Machine, ejection, etc. doubling! The book is top notch for the information!

seanq

<< <i>It always amazes me that a DDO would show in such a small, localized area. Why is that?? >>



The explanation I've read is that the part of the design in the highest relief is also the first point a hub will hit a die face when the die is created. Back when more than one "squeeze" was needed to create a die, the first couple of strikes from the hub would leave very little detail on the die face. Thus any misalignment between hubbings early inthe process will show onthe highest points of the coin - typically the portrait.

Another explanation I've heard is that the hub face is pillowed slightly to help bring up the higher relief devices, which may or may not be true. There is also a type of doubled die where two hubs with different designs are used to create one die, which can cause doubling just about anywhere. The various 1960 small/large date doubled dies are one example, so is the 1909 large L over small L Indian cent.

Just about every book written by John Wexler or Kevin Flynn contains an excellent overview of die making and the various forms of doubling. Most of the information above I learned fromthose two sources.


Sean Reynolds

koynekwest

Because of the conical nature of the die when it is hubbed, the central details are usually the first to hub.
Many examples of this type of doubled die exist-a few of the better known ones-the doubled ear 1984 cent; 1930 5 legged buffalo; the 1943 doubled eye Jefferson; 1932 (1-O-IV) and 1943-D (5-O-I) Washingtons;
the various 1942 DDO Walkers as well as the 1946 1-R-I Walker; and the 1888-O "Hot Lips" Morgan among others.

Lakesammman

I've read those references multiple times and don't recall ever seeing why only a portion of a side is doubled. Will read them again and see what I missed. Thanks for the tips.

Conder101

Could also be the result of distorted hub doubling where while the die was in for annealing between hubbings the hub continued in use creating other dies and by the time the first die cam back for its second hubbing the hub had just started to distend or distort with the difference only being in one small area. This would result in a normal hubbing everywhere except in the area of the distention which would show the doubling.

Lakesammman

Condor:

I like that one....it actually makes sense.