1924-S Repunched Mintmark WRPM-003

Description

Only 1.44 million Buffalo Nickels were struck at San Francisco in 1924, making this one of the lowest-mintage dates in James Earle Fraser's iconic series and giving any die variety from this date outsized significance. WRPM-003 shows an S/S Northeast repunched mintmark — the initial S was placed slightly southwest of the intended position before a corrective second blow drove the mintmark to its final location, leaving traces of the first impression offset to the southwest. The Wexler Team examined a circulated specimen, and neither obverse nor reverse die markers were visible on the worn coin examined — better-preserved specimens may reveal additional die identification features. A notable cross-reference connects this variety to a damaged mintmark punch also used on 1925-S Buffalo Nickels, suggesting that the same physical S punch — carrying damage from use or manufacturing — was employed across two consecutive production years. This cross-die-series punch linkage provides researchers with evidence about Mint tooling practices and punch lifespans. Cataloged under Wexler Variety ID 1924-S 5c WRPM-003, this third documented RPM for the date adds to a small but significant census on a key date. The combination of a genuinely low mintage, a confirmed repunched mintmark, and a documented cross-year punch connection makes WRPM-003 one of the more interesting Buffalo Nickel RPM varieties from the 1920s.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Brian Ribar Cross References: None known 1925-S 5¢ Damaged Mintmark Punch
• None known 1925-S 5¢ Damaged Mintmark Punch; Wexler Variety ID: 1924-S 5¢ WRPM-003
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References