1971-D Repunched Mintmark RPM-003

Description

Cataloged by VarietyVista under internal tracking code UVC-451 and die marriage reference DMR-004, this 1971-D Jefferson Nickel exhibits a D/D Tilted repunched mintmark — a designation indicating the initial D punch was applied at a slight angular tilt relative to the final corrected impression, creating overlapping letter forms where the vertical axis of the secondary D is not parallel to the primary. Tilted repunched mintmarks differ from purely rotational or directional RPMs because the angular displacement creates an asymmetric overlap pattern that varies across different portions of the letter based on their distance from the tilt point. Die stage documentation records three states: Stage A where both obverse and reverse are at early die state, Stage B at mid-die-state (unconfirmed), and Stage C at late die state (unconfirmed). The confirmed EDS for both dies in Stage A provides collectors with the sharpest possible preservation of the tilted RPM detail before die wear begins to soften the overlapping impressions. The Jefferson Nickel was designed by Felix Schlag and struck at the Denver Mint in 1971, composed of 75% copper and 25% nickel at 5.00 grams with a 21.21 mm diameter. By 1971, mint marks had returned to U.S. coinage after the 1965-1967 hiatus, and the Denver Mint resumed hand-punching D mintmarks into individual working dies. The resumption of mintmark application after a three-year break may have introduced a period of adjustment for engravers re-familiarizing themselves with the precision requirements of the hand-punching process, potentially contributing to the repunched mintmark varieties cataloged for the early 1970s Jefferson Nickel production.

Die Markers

• UVC-451
• DMR-004
• Stage A:
• Obverse and Reverse are EDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Paul Funaiole
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References