1973-S Repunched Mintmark RPM-001

Description

Tracked by VarietyVista under die marker codes UVC-1242 and DMR-002 with the diagnostic notation S/S North, this 1973-S Proof Washington Quarter RPM-001 holds the primary catalog position for repunched mintmark varieties on the 1973-S proof quarter, indicating it was either the first documented or the most prominent S/S variety for this date. The northward displacement shows the initial S punch landed slightly too low, with the corrective second punch establishing the final mintmark position at the proper height while leaving the first impression’s remnant visible below. Three die stages chart the working die’s progression: Stage A confirms both obverse and reverse at early die state (EDS), establishing that specimens exist from the die’s earliest production when the repunched mintmark appears at maximum sharpness; Stage B is mid-die state (MDS, unconfirmed); Stage C is late die state (LDS, unconfirmed). As the sole RPM-001 for the 1973-S proof issue, this variety represents the most significant or earliest-known repunched mintmark for the date. The 1973-S Proof Washington Quarter was struck at the San Francisco Mint on polished planchets using specially prepared dies in copper-nickel clad composition weighing 5.67 grams at 24.26 mm diameter. John Flanagan’s Washington Quarter design, modeled after Houdon’s bust, features the heraldic eagle reverse that served the denomination from 1932 through 1998. The EDS confirmation for Stage A is particularly valuable for proof coin varieties, as the combination of proof surface quality and fresh die detail provides optimal viewing conditions for the repunched mintmark’s diagnostic features, making early-state proof RPM specimens the most desirable for attribution study and collector acquisition.

Die Markers

• UVC-1242
• DMR-002
• 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