1971-D Repunched Mintmark RPM-005

Description

Displaying a D/D rotated counterclockwise — a less common displacement direction than the cardinal and ordinal directions seen on most repunched mintmarks — this 1971-D Jefferson Nickel RPM-005 is cataloged by VarietyVista with codes UVC-1860 and DMR-007. Rotational RPMs occur when the punch is twisted between impressions rather than simply shifted laterally, producing overlapping images with angular displacement. Under magnification, the first D impression appears rotated relative to the final position, creating a distinctive offset pattern different from the straight-line separations of directional RPMs. Struck in 75% copper and 25% nickel at Denver, the 1971-D belongs to the early clad era after the Coinage Act of 1965. Felix Schlag's Jefferson Nickel design, in production since 1938, continued to serve as the host for these mintmark varieties. Die progression tracks the variety across multiple states. The 1971 date falls in the period when mint marks were still being hand-punched into individual working dies, a practice whose end would eventually eliminate the RPM variety entirely from new coinage.

Die Markers

• UVC-1860
• DMR-007
• Stage A:
• Obverse and Reverse are EDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Robert Umbarger
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References