US Coins

Collectors share numismatic variety finds

By John Wexler

Published: Mar 3, 2016, 10 AM

Die variety grandmaster Bill Fivaz submitted this 1913 Indian Head, Type 2, Bison on Plain 5-cent coin that has major extra thickness throughout the reverse lettering.

Photomicrograph courtesy of John Wexler.

Strong doubling on LIBERTY shows on this 1937 Lincoln cent doubled die submitted by Marvin L. Young.

Image courtesy of John Wexler.

George dePozsgay shared his 2015 Lincoln cent that shows strong doubling to the date and LIBERTY.

Image courtesy of John Wexler.

Another nice doubled die reverse on a 2015-P Homestead National Monument of America quarter dollar was submitted by Edward Stewart.

Image courtesy of John Wexler.

Varieties Notebook column from March 21, 2016, Weekly issue of Coin World:

Marvin L. Young starts us off with a 1937 Lincoln cent that has a very nice obverse doubled die.

Strong doubling spread toward the center of the coin shows on the letters of LIBERTY. It is listed in my files as 1937 1¢ WDDO-003.

Our second submission is from one of the nicest guys in the hobby and probably the most successful cherrypicker ever.

Connect with Coin World:

Bill Fivaz capitalized on his variety hunting skills by publishing The Cherrypickers’ Guide to Rare Die Varieties with co-author J.T. Stanton.

I was quite excited when Mr. Fivaz submitted a 1913 Indian Head, Type 2, Bison on Plain 5-cent coin with a doubled die reverse that turned out to be a new listing.

Very strong Class VI extra thickness shows on FIVE CENTS, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, E PLURIBUS UNUM, and the dots. This one now resides in my files as 1913 5¢ WDDR-004.

Get our free report: How to Invest in Rare Coins

The year 2015 continues to be quite prolific for doubled dies. Another strong new 2015 Lincoln, Doubled Die Obverse cent was submitted by George dePozsgay. Strong doubling shows on the date and on LIBERTY. Lesser doubling shows on IN GOD WE TRUST with the spread increasing from left to right.

I now list this one in my files as 2015 1¢ WDDO-014. It is the third doubled die obverse variety for the 2015 Lincoln cents that I would classify as a nearly major variety. The other two varieties were already shown in this column.

Strong doubling from the top of the water pump handle shows inside the window just above and to the left of the main water pump handle on a 2015-P Homestead National Monument of America quarter dollar submitted by Edward Stewart. I list this one as 2015-P 25¢ NE WDDR-121.

A few 2016 Lincoln cents have trickled into my pocket change. Who will submit the first 2016 doubled die variety?