1972-S Repunched Mintmark RPM-004

Description

Tracked by VarietyVista under die marker codes UVC-1892 and DMR-006 with the diagnostic notation S/S East, this 1972-S Proof Washington Quarter RPM-004 displays a repunched S mintmark where the secondary impression is offset to the east of the primary — meaning the initial S punch landed slightly too far west, and the corrective second punch placed the final S in the proper eastward position, leaving a remnant of the first impression visible to the west of the final mintmark. Three die stages document the working die’s service: Stage A shows both obverse and reverse in early die state (EDS); Stage B is mid-die state (MDS, unconfirmed); Stage C is late die state (LDS, unconfirmed). The EDS confirmation for Stage A indicates documented specimens exist from the die’s earliest production period, when the repunched mintmark would appear at its sharpest before progressive wear softened the diagnostic details. As a proof issue, this coin was struck at the San Francisco Mint on specially prepared planchets using polished dies, producing mirror-like fields that enhance the visibility of the repunched mintmark against the reflective surface surrounding it. The 1972-S Proof Washington Quarter was struck in copper-nickel clad composition (outer layers 75% copper/25% nickel bonded to pure copper core) weighing 5.67 grams with a 24.26 mm diameter. John Flanagan designed the Washington Quarter obverse based on Jean-Antoine Houdon’s bust of George Washington, with the heraldic eagle reverse. Repunched mintmarks on proof coins are particularly valued because the proof production process preserves fine die details that might be partially obscured on business strikes by the less controlled striking conditions of high-speed production.

Die Markers

• UVC-1892
• DMR-006
• Stage A:
• Obverse and Reverse are EDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Timothy Wissert
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References