1939 (S) Washington Quarter - Repunched Mintmark WRPM-001

Description

Attributed by the Wexler Team under Wexler Variety ID: 1939-S 25¢ WRPM-001, this primary repunched mintmark for the 1939 San Francisco Mint Washington Quarter displays an S/S North orientation — meaning the first S mintmark punch was positioned north (above) of the final corrected position, leaving remnants of the initial impression visible above the primary mintmark. Repunched mintmarks on pre-1990 coinage resulted from the hand-punching technique used to add mintmarks to individual working dies: a Mint employee would press a small steel letter punch bearing the appropriate mintmark into the die, and if the first impression was misplaced, subsequent punches at the corrected position would overlap the initial strike. The S/S North direction indicates the engraver initially placed the S too high and then corrected downward. As WRPM-001, this is the primary documented repunched mintmark for the date, suggesting it is either the most prominent or the first to be formally attributed. The San Francisco Mint, which had been producing coinage since 1854, was the sole western mint striking quarters in 1939. RPM varieties on key-date Washington Quarters carry considerable numismatic interest because they combine die variety appeal with the date's inherent scarcity.

Cross References

• Wexler Variety ID: 1939-S 25¢ WRPM-001

External References