1952-S Repunched Mintmark WRPM-001

Description

First cataloged repunched mintmark on the 1952-S Jefferson Nickel, WRPM-001 documents a mintmark punch that landed twice in slightly different positions, creating the doubled S impression that characterizes repunched mintmark varieties from the hand-punching era. The Wexler Team attributed this under ID 1952-S 5¢ WRPM-001 with a cross-reference to CONECA RPM #2, the latter designation indicating this variety also appears in the Combined Organizations of Numismatic Error Collectors of America registry under their second-numbered RPM for the date. A die gouge south of the F in FIVE on the reverse provides a secondary diagnostic marker independent of the mintmark itself. San Francisco struck 20,572,000 Jefferson Nickels in 1952, one of the later S-mint nickel productions before San Francisco ceased nickel manufacture from 1955 through 1967. During the hand-punching era, mint employees used a small hand punch bearing the mintmark letter to stamp the mark into each individual working die — a process inherently susceptible to positional variation that produced the repunched mintmark varieties collectors pursue. The S mintmark on Jefferson Nickels of this era is positioned on the reverse near Monticello, and the WRPM-001 repunch documents a secondary S impression offset from the primary. CONECA's separate RPM #2 designation confirms independent verification by a second attribution organization, strengthening the variety's documentation with dual-source confirmation. The die gouge south of F in FIVE, located in the lower right portion of the reverse denomination text, provides a die-specific marker that aids identification even when the mintmark repunch is partially obscured by wear on circulated specimens.

Attribution History

• Discovered by John Bordner Cross References: CONECA: RPM #2
• CONECA: RPM #2; Wexler Variety ID: 1952-S 5¢ WRPM-001
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References