1951-S Repunched Mintmark WRPM-010

Description

Cataloged by the Wexler Team as 1951-S 5¢ WRPM-010 and cross-referenced as CONECA RPM #1, this Jefferson Nickel displays a repunched S mintmark from the San Francisco Mint. As CONECA RPM #1, this variety holds the primary position in the CONECA catalog for 1951-S Jefferson Nickel repunched mintmarks, typically indicating it was either the first documented or the most prominent example for this date-mint combination. The obverse die markers document extensive detail: short die scratches extending north from Jefferson's forehead and a north-northeast to south-southwest die scratch along the inside of the forehead — marks that fingerprint this specific obverse working die. The reverse carries even more extensive marker documentation: north-to-south die scratches on the inside left of Monticello's right arch, north-northwest to south-southeast die scratches above the left side of the right arch, irregular die scratches above and inside the right small window, north-to-south die scratches inside and above the left arch, and die scratches running northwest from the E in FIVE to the bottom of the N in MONTICELLO. This wealth of die scratches across the reverse — particularly their multiple directional orientations — suggests the reverse die underwent extensive polishing or maintenance during its production life, leaving a complex network of linear marks in various areas of the Monticello architectural design. The Jefferson Nickel was designed by Felix Schlag and struck at the San Francisco Mint in 1951 in 75% copper and 25% nickel, weighing 5.00 grams with a 21.2 mm diameter. The 1951-S had a relatively low mintage of approximately 7.8 million pieces, making it one of the scarcer post-war Jefferson Nickel issues and adding collector interest to its documented varieties.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Brian Ribar Cross References: CONECA: RPM #1
• CONECA: RPM #1; Wexler Variety ID: 1951-S 5¢ WRPM-010
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References