1952-S Repunched Mintmark WRPM-009

Description

Cataloged by the Wexler Team as 1952-S 5-cent WRPM-009, this Jefferson Nickel exhibits a repunched S mintmark from the San Francisco Mint. No external cross-references beyond the Wexler listing are currently known. Obverse die markers include NE/SW die scratches through TRUST — directional marks cutting across the motto that indicate die maintenance or debris contact at a consistent angle. Reverse markers are concentrated in the MONTICELLO inscription area: short die scratches extend south from the base above the M in MONTICELLO, and additional die scratches run SSE from the bottom of the M in MONTICELLO — two closely related groups of scratches emanating from different points on the same letter, suggesting the M's deeper recesses in the die face trapped debris or directed polishing tool contact in this localized area. The Jefferson Nickel was designed by Felix Schlag and struck at the San Francisco Mint in 1952, composed of 75% copper and 25% nickel, weighing 5.00 grams with a diameter of 21.21 mm. The 1952-S had a relatively low mintage of approximately 20.6 million pieces, making it one of the scarcer post-war San Francisco Jefferson Nickel issues. The San Francisco Mint's 1952 production was among the lower-volume years for this denomination, as the facility was transitioning from its wartime production levels back to more selective output. Repunched mintmark varieties on Jefferson Nickels from the early 1950s San Francisco production reflect the manual punch application process, where the S mintmark was applied to each working die by hand before it entered the coining press — a process inherently subject to the slight misalignments that generate the RPM varieties sought by modern collectors.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Brian Ribar Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1952-S 5¢ WRPM-009
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References