1939-D Repunched Mintmark RPM-001

Description

Documented by VarietyVista with die markers UVC-0106 and DMR-005, this 1939-D Washington Silver Quarter RPM-001 holds the primary catalog position for repunched mintmark varieties on this date-mint combination, indicating it was either the first documented or the most visually prominent RPM known for the 1939-D Washington Quarter. Three die stages document this die's progression: Stage A records both the reverse and obverse at early die state (EDS) — the confirmed EDS observation providing the best opportunity to examine the repunched mintmark features in their sharpest, most detailed condition before subsequent die wear softens the secondary impression; Stage B is mid-die-state (MDS, unconfirmed); and Stage C is late die state (LDS, unconfirmed). The confirmed EDS with unconfirmed later stages suggests fewer specimens have been examined from later production runs of this die, or that the die may have been retired before reaching easily identifiable later die states. The 1939-D Washington Quarter was struck at the Denver Mint in 90% silver composition (90% silver, 10% copper) weighing 6.25 grams with a diameter of 24.26 mm. John Flanagan designed the Washington Quarter with the obverse based on Jean-Antoine Houdon's 1785 life bust of George Washington, and the heraldic eagle reverse served from 1932 through 1998. The 1939-D had a mintage of approximately 7.1 million pieces. As RPM-001 for the date, this variety anchors the 1939-D RPM family that also includes RPM-003 (VarietyVista) and WRPM-002 (Wexler, with its notable D/D/D triple-punched mintmark) — together these three varieties document different aspects of the manual mintmark application process employed at the Denver Mint during the late Depression era.

Die Markers

• UVC-0106
• DMR-005
• Stage A:
• Reverse and Obverse are EDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

External References