1929-S Repunched Mintmark RPM-002

Description

Bearing a remarkable S/S/S triple-punched mintmark displaced East, East — three separate impressions of the S visible on the reverse — this 1929-S Buffalo Nickel RPM-002 is one of the most dramatic repunched mintmark varieties in the series. Cataloged by VarietyVista with codes UVC-094 and DMR-004, the triple punch occurred when the die sinker struck the S punch three times, with eastward displacement on both corrective impressions leaving overlapping traces under magnification. Die progression spans three stages: Stage A (EDS), Stage B (MDS), and Stage C (LDS). James Earle Fraser's Buffalo Nickel, struck in 75% copper and 25% nickel from 1913 to 1938, required hand-punching of mint marks at branch mints. Triple punches are substantially rarer than standard double-punch RPMs, making the S/S/S East, East attribution a significant draw for specialists. The 1929-S comes from a period of declining mintages as the Great Depression approached.

Die Markers

• UVC-094
• DMR-004
• Stage A:
• Reverse and Obverse are EDS
• Stage B:
• Reverse and Obverse are MDS
• Stage C:
• Reverse and Obverse are LDS

Attribution History

• Discovered by Lew Bundy
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References