1940-D Repunched Mintmark RPM-003

Description

Ranked third in the repunched mintmark sequence for the 1940-D Mercury dime, RPM-003 displays the D mintmark punched over a previous D displaced to the south, abbreviated as D/D South. Adolph A. Weinman's dime reverse positions the mintmark on the left side of the fasces — the Roman symbol of bundled rods and axe that serves as the central reverse motif — and the 1940-D issue saw Denver produce approximately 21.20 million Mercury dimes, a strong mintage reflecting the economic recovery that preceded America's entry into World War II. The southward displacement means the initial D impression sits below the corrected final position, so collectors looking for RPM-003 should focus on the lower portion of the primary D mintmark, searching for traces of the first impression's serifs or vertical stroke protruding beneath the final placement. During the 1930s and 1940s, each working die received its mintmark through hand-punching at the Philadelphia Mint before shipment to the branch facility, a manual process in which a skilled technician positioned a hardened steel letter punch against the die face and drove it in with a hammer blow. If the initial placement was deemed unsatisfactory — too low, too high, tilted, or otherwise imprecise — the operator repositioned the punch and struck again, creating the overlapping mintmark impressions that define the RPM category. The south direction on RPM-003 indicates the technician's first attempt landed lower than intended, and the correction moved the D upward to its final position. No cross-references to the Wexler, CONECA, or Fivaz-Stanton attribution systems are currently recorded for this variety. Examination under 10-20x magnification with the coin oriented so the fasces stands vertically reveals the remnant D most clearly, as the southward remnant creates a subtle thickening or extension at the bottom of the visible mintmark.

External References