D.C. and U.S. Territories Quarter
2009 American Samoa Quarter Doubled Dies, Errors, and Varieties
The 2009 American Samoa quarter was the fourth release in the District of Columbia and U.S. Territories Quarters Program. Its reverse depicts an ava bowl (tanoa), whisk, and staff, ceremonial objects central to Samoan culture, with a coconut tree and shoreline in the background. The inscription SAMOA MUAMUA LE ATUA means “Samoa, God is First.”
The U.S. Mint identifies Stephen Clark as the reverse designer and Charles L. Vickers as the reverse sculptor. Philadelphia and Denver produced circulation-quality coins, while San Francisco produced proofs. Standard clad pieces weigh 5.670 grams, measure 24.26 mm, are 1.75 mm thick, and have a reeded edge.
Documented doubled die
Wexler’s current American Samoa doubled-die file documents one Philadelphia obverse variety. Importantly, it is a Satin Finish coin rather than an ordinary circulation strike.
2009-P SF AS WDDO-001 — Satin Finish
Do You Have One? What To Look For:
First establish that the coin is a Philadelphia Satin Finish issue. Do not transfer this attribution automatically to a normal circulation-strike 2009-P American Samoa quarter.
Wexler describes WDDO-001 as showing doubling on the underside of Washington’s earlobe.
The published obverse die marker is a die crack through the designer’s initials. Wexler lists no significant early-die-state reverse marker and currently lists no cross-reference.
That makes the combination important: correct issue/finish, the documented earlobe doubling, and the obverse die crack should agree before calling a coin WDDO-001.
Errors versus varieties
A doubled die is repeatable on coins struck from the same affected die. An individual mint error is produced during the striking or planchet process and can include an off-center strike, clipped planchet, wrong planchet, missing clad layer, brockage, multiple strike, or struck-through material.
The American Samoa reverse has many narrow lines and small relief elements around the ceremonial objects, coconut tree, shoreline, and lettering. A die chip or crack can be genuine without being a cataloged doubled die. Weak detail can result from strike quality, grease, wear, or damage and should not be promoted into a named “error” without evidence.
Post-mint scratches, impacts, corrosion, flattened devices, and displaced metal are damage.
How to examine a 2009 American Samoa quarter
- Confirm the 2009 date and mintmark.
- If pursuing WDDO-001, establish that the coin is the Philadelphia Satin Finish issue.
- Inspect the underside of Washington’s earlobe under 5×–10× magnification.
- Check for the published die crack through the designer’s initials.
- Use diffuse light and rotate the coin instead of relying on digital sharpening.
- Require raised, coherent die detail rather than glare, scratches, or flat shelf-like machine doubling.
- Photograph the full obverse, reverse, and diagnostic close-up.
- Do not clean the coin.
Diagnostic artwork standard
Use a normal American Samoa quarter only as a location reference. The diagnostic enlargement for WDDO-001 should focus on Washington’s earlobe and the designer’s-initials die crack. The illustration must state that the cataloged variety is a Satin Finish issue so collectors do not mistake an ordinary circulation coin for the listed die.
No additional named American Samoa doubled dies should be added unless a reliable attribution source documents them.
Sources
- U.S. Mint — American Samoa Quarter
- U.S. Mint — 2009 Quarter Designs
- Wexler — 2009 American Samoa Quarter Doubled Dies
- Wexler — D.C. & U.S. Territories Doubled Die Varieties
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