1938 (D) Buffalo Nickel - Repunched Mintmark RPM-001

Description

Struck during the final year of James Earle Fraser's Buffalo Nickel — and simultaneously the first year of the Jefferson Nickel that replaced it — this 1938-D RPM-001 holds a unique position in American numismatic history. The 1938-D was the only Denver Mint Buffalo Nickel of its final year, as the design concluded after twenty-five years of production spanning 1913 to 1938. Cataloged by VarietyVista with codes UVC-217 and DMR-002, this primary repunched mintmark for the date resulted from the hand-punching process used to set the D mint mark into each working die. As RPM-001, it represents the most prominent of the documented repunched mintmarks for the 1938-D date. Die progression covers three stages: Stage A with reverse and obverse in early die state (EDS), Stage B at mid-die state (MDS), and Stage C at late die state (LDS). The 75% copper and 25% nickel composition was standard throughout the Buffalo Nickel's entire run. Collectors prize last-year issues for their terminal status, and die varieties from the 1938-D carry added significance as artifacts from the final months of one of America's most beloved coin designs.

Die Markers

• UVC-217
• DMR-002
• Stage A:
• Reverse and Obverse are EDS
• Stage B:
• Reverse and Obverse are MDS
• Stage C:
• Reverse and Obverse are LDS

External References