1938 (D) Buffalo Nickel - Repunched Mintmark RPM-005

Description

Documented by VarietyVista with die identifiers UVC-221 and DMR-006, the 1938-D RPM-005 Buffalo Nickel displays a D/D repunched mintmark displaced to the west — the secondary D punch was placed to the left of the initial impression, leaving a remnant of the first D extending to the right of the final corrected position. Three die stages document the die pair's progression: Stage A with both reverse and obverse confirmed at early die state (EDS), Stage B with both reverse and obverse confirmed at mid-die-state (MDS), and Stage C at late die state (LDS, unconfirmed). The dual-confirmed die states for both Stage A (EDS) and Stage B (MDS) provide collectors with authenticated reference points at two different wear levels, enabling precise die-state assessment of potential specimens by comparison. The 1938-D Buffalo Nickel holds special significance as the final year of James Earle Fraser's iconic design, which was replaced later in 1938 by Felix Schlag's Jefferson Nickel. This makes 1938-D RPM varieties the last Buffalo Nickel repunched mintmarks in the series — terminal-year varieties that close out the RPM record for this beloved design. Fraser's obverse depicts a composite Native American portrait, while the reverse features an American bison standing on a mound. Struck at the Denver Mint in standard copper-nickel composition (75% copper, 25% nickel) weighing 5.00 grams with a diameter of 21.21 mm, the 1938-D had a relatively modest mintage of approximately 7.0 million pieces. The westward D/D displacement documents the hand-punch mintmark application process at the Denver Mint during the final months of Buffalo Nickel production, preserving a tangible record of manual die preparation in the series' closing chapter.

Die Markers

• UVC-221
• DMR-006
• Stage A:
• Reverse and Obverse are EDS
• Stage B:
• Reverse and Obverse are MDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

External References