WRPM-001 Repunched Mint Mark

Description

Repunched mintmark variety on the 1856-S Small Indian Princess Head gold dollar, documenting an S/S Northeast displacement where the mintmark was punched twice into the working die with the second impression offset to the Northeast. At just 15mm in diameter, this gold dollar ranks among the smallest coins ever produced by the United States Mint, and the tiny S mintmark makes the repunching particularly notable. Designed by James B. Longacre and produced from 1854 through 1856, San Francisco struck gold dollars during the California Gold Rush era when precious metal coinage was essential to Western commerce. Cross-referenced as CONECA RPM #1 and Cherrypickers' Guide FS-G1-1856S-501, with Breen catalog number 6045, this variety carries multiple authoritative attributions confirming its significance. The Northeast offset creates a visible secondary S impression detectable under moderate magnification despite the coin's small size. Collectors of early U.S. gold appreciate RPM varieties as tangible evidence of the hand-punching process used to apply mintmarks to individual working dies during this period.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Kevin Flynn
• CONECA: RPM #1, Cherrypickers: FS-G1-1856S-501, Breen: #6045
• Expert attribution by John A. Wexler

External References