1942 (S) Mercury Dime - Repunched Mintmark RPM-004

Description

Sharing the same directional repunching as its companion RPM-002 but from a different obverse die, the 1942-S Mercury Dime RPM-004 also shows the S mint mark repunched to the west (S/S West) using the MMS-003 Trumpet Tail punch style. The presence of multiple RPM varieties with the same directional shift and punch type on the same date suggests a systematic tendency — whether from the same die sinker's technique or from tooling configurations at the San Francisco Mint — that consistently placed the initial S impression slightly east of its final position. While RPM-002 and RPM-004 share their directional characteristics, each originated from a separate working die with its own unique combination of die markers, strike characteristics, and production sequence. The Trumpet Tail S (MMS-003) is recognized by its flared lower terminal, and its appearance on multiple 1942-S RPM dies indicates this punch was in active service during the wartime production year. The 1942-S Mercury Dime was among the final San Francisco issues of Adolph Weinman's design, and die-by-die attribution of RPM varieties with identical repunching direction requires careful comparison of the secondary die markers that distinguish each working die.

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