1935 Doubled Die Reverse

The 1935 Doubled Die Reverse Buffalo nickel is a die variety in which the reverse die shows clear doubling on FIVE CENTS and the adjacent wreath elements. The doubling occurred during the hubbing process when the master hub struck the working die with slight misalignment in successive impressions, leaving a secondary image of key reverse features. The variety was first publicized in the 1960s and has become one of the recognized Buffalo nickel die varieties.

Identification requires examining the reverse under magnification. The most visible doubling appears at FIVE CENTS, where the letters show clear secondary images that are immediately recognizable to anyone familiar with doubled die varieties. Additional doubling may be visible at E PLURIBUS UNUM and at the wreath elements, though the FIVE CENTS doubling is the primary diagnostic.

Surviving populations are limited. PCGS estimates suggest fewer than 1,000 examples known across all grades, making the 1935 DDR a genuinely scarce variety. Most known examples are in circulated grades, and Mint State pieces are scarce enough to command four-figure prices at auction. The variety is a required acquisition for advanced Buffalo nickel collectors and is typically grouped with the 1916 DDO and the 1914/3 overdate as the core Buffalo nickel major varieties.

Unlike the 1916 DDO and 1937-D 3 Legs, the 1935 DDR has never achieved mainstream collector awareness and remains relatively obscure even within Buffalo nickel specialist circles. Prices are lower than comparable varieties would command if they were better known, creating opportunities for informed collectors to acquire significant Buffalo nickel varieties at reasonable prices.