1968-S Repunched Mintmark RPM-001

Description

Cataloged as the primary repunched mintmark variety for the 1968-S Proof Washington Quarter, RPM-001 exhibits an S/S West orientation — meaning the initial S mintmark punch was placed slightly west of its final position, and a second impression corrected the placement, leaving traces of the first punch visible to the west. The reverse die is identified as RDV-007, placing this variety within the broader reverse die variety tracking system used for Washington Quarters. The 1968 proof quarter holds a pivotal position in United States Mint history: it was the first year that proof coin production relocated from Philadelphia to the San Francisco Mint, where it would remain for decades. This transition coincided with the resumption of mintmarks on proof coinage after the 1965-1967 mintmark moratorium during the great coin shortage, making 1968-S the first S-mint proof quarter since 1964. Repunched mintmarks occur when the engraver at the Mint physically punches the mintmark letter into the working die and either misaligns the initial impression or intentionally repositions it with a corrective second punch. Prior to 1990, when the Mint began incorporating mintmarks directly into the master die, each working die received its mintmark individually by hand — a process inherently prone to positional variation. As the -001 designation indicates, this is the first and most prominent repunched mintmark documented for the 1968-S proof quarter, making it the variety most likely to be encountered and the easiest to attribute among the date's RPM listings.

External References