1946-S Repunched Mintmark WRPM-005

Description

Fifth in the Wexler Team's catalog of repunched mintmarks for the 1946 San Francisco Jefferson Nickel, WRPM-005 adds depth to one of the more prolific RPM date-and-mint combinations in the early Jefferson series. The sheer number of cataloged RPMs for the 1946-S — well beyond the typical two or three found for most dates — speaks to the difficulty of mintmark application during this transitional production year. San Francisco was resuming standard copper-nickel production after the wartime silver alloy years of 1942-1945, and each die required a fresh hand-punched S mintmark placed to the right of Monticello on the reverse. When the initial punch landed off-target, the engraver repositioned and struck again, leaving evidence of both placements. WRPM-005's higher catalog number suggests a more subtle or later-discovered variety compared to the lower-numbered 1946-S RPMs, though each documents a unique die. Die variety specialists find the immediate postwar years especially productive for cherry-picking, as these coins circulated widely and still appear in original rolls.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Timothy Wissert Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1946-S 5¢ WRPM-005
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References