1971-S Repunched Mintmark RPM-002

Description

Sharing the same S/S West repunching direction as RPM-001 but originating from a different die pair, this second documented repunched mintmark for the 1971-S Proof Kennedy Half Dollar reveals a pattern in mintmark placement at the San Francisco Mint. Where RPM-001 is linked to obverse die variety ODV-003, this RPM-002 corresponds to ODV-002, confirming that two separate obverse dies both received westward-shifted initial mintmark punches. The recurrence of the same directional error across multiple dies suggests a systematic tendency in how the mintmark punch was positioned rather than an isolated mistake. Both varieties show the original S placement offset to the west of the final corrected position, leaving a visible shadow of the first impression. The 1971-S Proof Half Dollar was struck in clad composition as part of the annual proof set. During this period, mintmarks were hand-punched into individual working dies, and the repeated westward bias across dies points to either the punch holder's technique or the alignment guides used at the facility. Collectors can distinguish the two varieties by their associated obverse die characteristics.

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