1958-D Repunched Mintmark WRPM-013

Description

Cataloged by the Wexler Team as 1958-D 5¢ WRPM-013, this Jefferson Nickel exhibits a repunched mintmark variety where the D was applied more than once to the working die, leaving traces of the earlier impression visible alongside the final placement. No cross-references to other cataloging systems are currently known. Reverse die markers provide two key attribution points: a small die gouge in the form of a dot touching the right side of the first U in PLURIBUS, and a die scratch running northeast from the top of the first O in MONTICELLO to the left side of the steps — features that fingerprint this specific reverse working die and allow confident identification even on worn specimens where the repunching itself may be less distinct. The Jefferson Nickel was designed by Felix Schlag, whose Monticello reverse depicts Thomas Jefferson's Virginia estate with its distinctive portico and dome. Struck at the Denver Mint in 1958 in standard copper-nickel composition (75% copper, 25% nickel) weighing 5.00 grams with a diameter of 21.21 mm, the 1958-D nickel represents the last year before a substantial mintage reduction in 1959. Repunched mintmark varieties on Jefferson Nickels from the 1950s document the manual mintmark application process used at branch mints, where a small steel letter punch bearing the D was positioned and hammered by hand into each individual working die. The inherent imprecision of this manual process — aligning a small punch against a curved die face under workshop conditions — meant that corrective re-punching was frequently necessary, producing the diagnostic doubled mintmark impressions that variety collectors seek today. The WRPM-013 designation as the thirteenth cataloged repunched mintmark for this date-mint indicates a rich variety population for the 1958-D issue.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Tracy Mundy Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1958-D 5¢ WRPM-013
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References