Don't apologize. Im still trying to get a handle on the difference. I look at other websites like Wexler, and see the flat square edges and he lists them as doubled die. And then another DD listing for the same coin with rounded edges. So, it makes me want to ask even if it makes me looks foolish. Thanks for your response.
On doubled die coins the relief on the doubled portions is virtually the same. Then you look for a notch at the boundaries where the image overlaps. Genuine DD rarely have anything that looks like a the flat, slide-away shelf on your coin. The mint mark is not ever a place to look for doubled dies. If you study the images on the internet, you should get the hang of it in no time at all.
I'm going to have to go with MD. The primary characteristic of mechanical doubling on coins with raised design elements is that the secondary image (doubling) has a flat, shelf-like appearance. On genuine doubled dies the secondary image is raised and rounded just like the primary image. Also, genuine doubled dies are characterized by a splitting of the serifs on letters with serifs, or a “notching” of the corners of the letters which are doubled. This splitting of the serifs or notching of the letter corners will not be found on coins with mechanical doubling.
