1904 Repunched Date WRPD-001

Description

Designated WRPD-001 in the Wexler catalog, this 1904 Liberty Head Nickel displays a repunched date variety where the 1 and 9 were impressed into the die twice, with the secondary impressions of both digits visible south of their primary positions. Repunched dates occurred when a date punch was struck into the working die, then repositioned and struck again — either intentionally for better depth or as a correction after initial misalignment. The southward displacement on both the 1 and 9 indicates the punch shifted in a consistent direction between strikes. On the obverse, a polishing mark trails south from the point of the bust, serving as a useful die marker for attribution. The reverse provides two additional diagnostics: a die crack running northeast from the rim at the 6:30 position through the E in CENTS, and a cluster of die scratches running east-by-southwest-by-north through the upper center of the ribbon. The Liberty Head Nickel series, minted from 1883 through 1912, used individually hand-punched dates on each working die, making repunched date varieties an inherent byproduct of the manufacturing process. Attributed by the Wexler Team under variety designation 1904 5 cent WRPD-001, this variety rewards careful examination of the date digits under magnification.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Tony Russo Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1904 5¢ WRPD-001
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References