1949-S Repunched Mintmark WRPM-002

Description

Second in an exceptionally deep RPM census for the 1949 San Francisco Jefferson Nickel, WRPM-002 is one of at least eleven repunched mintmark varieties cataloged by the Wexler Team for this date and mint — a population ranking the 1949-S among the most prolific RPM issues in the entire series. This census depth reflects the large number of working dies requiring individual hand-punched S mintmarks during 1949, combined with decades of dedicated searching by variety collectors. Each WRPM variety documents a unique die where the engraver's initial placement was adjusted through a second punch, and WRPM-002's early catalog position suggests it was among the first identified. San Francisco's 1949 nickel production filled commerce across the western United States, and these coins circulated widely before variety awareness drew attention to the mintmark area beside Monticello. The S mintmark's small size on pre-1965 Jefferson Nickels means repunching evidence can be subtle, often requiring at least 5x magnification to distinguish the overlapping impressions that define an RPM.

Attribution History

• Discovered by John Bordner Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1949-S 5¢ WRPM-002
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References