1948-S Repunched Mintmark RPM-006

Description

Documented by VarietyVista with die markers UVC-181 and DMR-007, this 1948-S Roosevelt Silver Dime RPM-006 exhibits an S/S repunched mintmark with the secondary impression displaced to the east — meaning the first S mintmark punch landed slightly west of its intended position, and the corrective second application shifted the final letter eastward, leaving traces of the original placement visible at the western edge. Three documented die stages track this die's progression: Stage A is early die state (EDS, unconfirmed); Stage B shows both the reverse and obverse at mid-die-state (MDS); and Stage C records both at late die state (LDS). This clean three-stage progression from unconfirmed EDS through confirmed MDS to confirmed LDS provides a framework for collectors to assess the relative age of specimens based on accompanying die deterioration characteristics that accumulate through the service life. The Roosevelt Silver Dime was designed by John R. Sinnock and first issued in 1946, honoring President Franklin D. Roosevelt whose association with the March of Dimes made the ten-cent piece an appropriate memorial. The 1948-S was struck at the San Francisco Mint in 90% silver composition (90% silver, 10% copper) weighing 2.50 grams with a diameter of 17.9 mm. The San Francisco Mint's mintmark application process in 1948 involved hand-punching a small steel S punch into each working die individually — a manual procedure where the engraver positioned the punch over the intended location on the die face and struck it with a hammer, with each application carrying the potential for slight positional error. The eastward displacement of the secondary S on RPM-006 joins a family of 1948-S RPM varieties that collectively document the range of positional variations produced during this manual process.

Die Markers

• UVC-181
• DMR-007
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Reverse and Obverse are MDS
• Stage C:
• Reverse and Obverse are LDS

Attribution History

• Discovered by Paul Funaiole
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References