1936-D Repunched Mintmark WRPM-004

Description

Attributed by the Wexler Team, this 1936-D Mercury Dime displays a D/D/D West and North repunched mintmark — three overlapping D impressions that document at least three separate mintmark punching events on this working die. Triple-punched mintmarks are less common than double punchings, as they indicate the die sinker required three attempts to achieve satisfactory mintmark placement, with each successive impression leaving traces of the previous position. Detailed die markers aid attribution: on the obverse, heavy die scrapes run from west to east on the lower neck of Liberty, with a die scratch running northeast from the top left of the designer's initials to the bottom of the T in LIBERTY. On the reverse, a die gouge shaped like a dot appears south of the I in UNITED. No cross-references to other attribution systems are currently known, making the Wexler designation the primary catalog entry. The 1936-D Mercury Dime was struck at the Denver Mint during a year of substantial production, as the economy continued recovering from the Great Depression. Adolph Weinman's Winged Liberty Head design, commonly called the Mercury Dime, is regarded as one of the most beautiful American coin designs, and die varieties on this series attract dedicated specialist collectors. Four RPMs for the 1936-D date indicates that mintmark punching variations were occurring with moderate frequency at Denver. The D/D/D triple punching with displacement both west and north creates a complex mintmark presentation that experienced attributors can decode under magnification, identifying the sequential impressions and their directional relationships. Mercury Dime RPM varieties from the 1930s occupy an important position in die variety studies because they document hand-punching practices during the Depression era.

Attribution History

• Discovered by John S. Gillilan Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1936-D 10¢ WRPM-004
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References