This class of Doubled Die is produced when two hubbings have their centers misaligned. It is characterized as having doubling that is evenly spread in one direction. The doubling is unlike that found on Classes I or V, where the misalignment-event shows a rotation at or near the center (I) or at or near the rim (V). Doubling is often rounded, found closer to the center, and when identified on numeric or alphabetic characters, shows notching.

It has been hypothesized that the reason many examples do not show doubling near the rim is because one of the hubbings only received an uncharacteristically incomplete hubbing. Such an incomplete hubbing would result in design elements not being pressed deep enough in the middle of the die, and not at all along the perimeters. The die originates in a conical shape until it is completely pressed down, if the incomplete hubbing was the first, the outer devices may not have been hubbed the first time around.

Below is a facsimile of a fictitious 1960P with a strongly doubled Class IV DDO. In this case the first hubbing would have been centered and complete, with the second hubbing having its center oriented N-NE from the first. It should be noted that this example is showing universal doubling on all design elements (including the whole portrait) which has never been documented but shown for effect.

Below is a colored overlay demonstrating that the ’83 DDR has a wide northerly shift between the hubbings. Green is the lighter hubbing followed by red, which is the deepest.

Below are details of 1983 DDR-001

Another bold example, yet displaying only an incomplete hubbing, is 1984 DDO-001. It displays a widely doubled ear, beard details, back of head and bow tie.

1984 DDO-001 also appears to be ever so slightly pivoted as the second piece of the bow-tie resides further away proportionally than the second ear. Analysis suggests the center of rotation would be off at least a centimeter to the side of the die past IN of IGWT. An overlay and details are below.

Notches: As has been pointed out by most variety specialists and attributers: notching, even though the doubled areas are shallow, is always, to a degree, present. MD will seemingly smear the doubled area away from the device impacted but it will not leave notches, how could MD leave notches? …Think about it while viewing a fictitious notching diagram of Class IV doubling going south illustrated below. While the degree of doubling is strong, there would be clear evidence of notching whereas MD would have pushed or flattened metal over the areas that display notching.

1909 DDO-001, the doubled areas indicate a incomplete hubbing. Although hard to identify, RTY has notches, most evident on the SW corners.

1942-S DDO-001. Another incomplete hubbing, doubling is faint, and confined to central elements and the upper motto.

Below is a Jefferson nickel known as 1939 DDR-001. This doubled die displays a strong, yet partial second hubbing, showing on MONTICELLO, FIVE CENTS & the right side of the building. The notching and separation are spectacular.

Our final example is on a 1972 Colombian 20 Centavos. Here we see a nice a northerly spread that shows across the motto, date and parts of the portrait.

Pictures of the Class IV doubled die obverse 1988 DDO-003 (1DO-010) FS-101 which has a strong extra ear south – HERE.

On to CLASS V

All doubled die illustrations are by Jason Cuvelier