1964-D Repunched Mintmark RPM-002

Description

Designated FS-502 in the Fivaz-Stanton reference and paired with Reverse Die Variety RDV-002 (identified by its diagnostic "Flared G" characteristic), this second repunched mintmark for the 1964-D Kennedy Half Dollar shows the D mintmark punched over a previous D positioned to the north — a D/D North orientation indicating the initial punch was placed too low relative to the final intended position. During 1964, individual mintmark punches were still applied by hand to each working die at the Denver Mint, a process requiring precise placement that occasionally resulted in the engraver repositioning the punch after an initial impression proved misaligned. The 1964 Kennedy Half Dollar holds extraordinary significance as the inaugural issue of the series, rushed into production following President Kennedy's assassination in November 1963. Public demand was so overwhelming that the 90% silver half dollar was hoarded immediately upon release, and Denver struck nearly 156 million examples — an astronomical mintage that nonetheless could not satisfy public appetite. The RDV-002 reverse die variety with its Flared G provides an important secondary attribution marker, as the distinctive formation of the G in the reverse legend helps confirm the specific die pair that produced this RPM. Repunched mintmarks on first-year Kennedy Halves attract strong collector interest because the combination of the series' historical significance with a visible production anomaly creates a coin that tells multiple stories simultaneously — the national mourning that inspired the design and the human craft that still governed mintmark placement in the early 1960s.

External References