1948-S Repunched Mintmark WRPM-006

Description

Documented through Brian Ribar's photography and cataloged as Wexler Variety ID: 1948-S 5¢ WRPM-006, this San Francisco Jefferson Nickel displays a repunched mintmark produced during the early post-war boom. American coin production expanded rapidly in the late 1940s as the economy transitioned to peacetime, and San Francisco's die shop processed numerous working dies for nickel output. The hand-punching process required a technician to position a steel letter punch bearing the S mintmark over each die and strike it with a hammer, embedding the letter into the die face. When the punch was not seated identically for a follow-up impression, the resulting die carried overlapping S images — the hallmark of a repunched mintmark. Felix Schlag won the 1938 design competition for the Jefferson Nickel, and his Monticello reverse remained in continuous service through 2003. Six documented RPM varieties for the 1948-S date suggest that multiple dies exhibited punching inconsistencies during that year's run. Collectors seeking Jefferson Nickel RPMs from this era benefit from Ribar's detailed images, which isolate the secondary mintmark positioning that defines each variety.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Brian Ribar Cross References: None known Comments: The photo of the RPM was taken by Brian Ribar.
• None known Comments: The photo of the RPM was taken by Brian Ribar.; Wexler Variety ID: 1948-S 5¢ WRPM-006
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References