1972-S Repunched Mintmark RPM-003

Description

Tracked by VarietyVista under die marker codes UVC-1882 and DMR-005 with the diagnostic notation S/S North, this 1972-S Proof Washington Quarter RPM-003 displays a repunched S mintmark where the secondary impression sits north of the primary — indicating the initial S punch was placed slightly too low, and when the engraver corrected by punching a second time at the proper height, the remnant of the first impression remained visible below the final mintmark placement. Three documented die stages record the working 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 mid-die-state confirmation for Stage B establishes the period of the die’s service life from which most documented specimens likely originate. As a proof issue, this Washington Quarter was struck at the San Francisco Mint using specially polished dies on prepared planchets, creating the mirror-like fields that characterize proof coinage and enhance visibility of the repunched mintmark detail. The 1972-S Proof Washington Quarter was produced in copper-nickel clad composition (outer layers 75% copper/25% nickel over pure copper core) weighing 5.67 grams with a diameter of 24.26 mm. John Flanagan designed the Washington obverse from Jean-Antoine Houdon’s famous bust of the first president, paired with the heraldic eagle reverse that served from 1932 through 1998. The northward displacement of the secondary S mintmark impression creates a vertical doubling effect most visible at the top and bottom serifs of the letter, where the separation between primary and secondary punches is most apparent.

Die Markers

• UVC-1882
• DMR-005
• Stage A:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Obverse and Reverse are MDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Timothy Wissert
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References