1971-S Repunched Mintmark RPM-009

Description

Tracked by VarietyVista under die marker codes UVC-1230 and DMR-011 with the diagnostic notation S/S West, this 1971-S Proof Washington Quarter RPM-009 displays a repunched S mintmark where the secondary impression is offset to the west of the primary — the same directional class as RPM-006 for the 1971-S date, but on a distinct working die identified by its own unique die marker codes. Three die stages record the die’s progression: Stage A is mid-die state (MDS, unconfirmed); Stage B confirms both obverse and reverse at MDS; Stage C is late die state (LDS, unconfirmed). The westward displacement indicates the initial S mintmark punch contacted the die too far to the east, with the corrective second strike shifting the final position westward while preserving a remnant of the original impression to the east of the accepted placement. As RPM-009, this is the ninth cataloged repunched mintmark for the 1971-S proof quarter — a substantial count that documents the degree of positional variability generated across the proof die population during the hand-punching process at the San Francisco Mint. The 1971-S Proof Washington Quarter was struck in copper-nickel clad composition weighing 5.67 grams with a 24.26 mm diameter. John Flanagan’s Washington portrait, derived from Houdon’s famous bust, graces the obverse, while the heraldic eagle reverse depicts the national bird clutching arrows and an olive branch. Proof production’s controlled striking process and polished die surfaces make the west-displaced secondary S mintmark impression more readily visible than it would be on a business strike, where the less refined striking conditions could partially obscure the repunching evidence.

Die Markers

• UVC-1230
• DMR-011
• Stage A:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Obverse and Reverse are MDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Paul Funaiole
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References