1939-D Repunched Mintmark RPM-003

Description

Third in the repunched mintmark census for the 1939-D Mercury dime, RPM-003 presents a D/D East displacement — the initial D mintmark was placed too far west (to the left), and the corrective second punch was applied in the final eastward (rightward) position. This east-west directional displacement is less common than the north-south varieties that dominate Mercury dime RPM catalogs, making RPM-003 a noteworthy variant among the 1939-D repunched mintmarks. Denver produced approximately 24.39 million Mercury dimes in 1939, Adolph A. Weinman's design continuing through its penultimate decade of service. The D mintmark, hand-punched to the right of the fasces on each working die, received its corrective eastward repositioning because the initial westward placement was deemed too far to the left of the intended position. The residual first impression appears to the left (west) of the final D, where the right side of the original punch extends beyond the left boundary of the accepted mintmark. East-west repunching often produces its clearest diagnostics at the vertical stroke of the D, where the two punches create a widened or doubled-looking vertical element. Distinguishing RPM-003's eastward displacement from RPM-001's southward (FS-501) and RPM-002's westward displacement requires attention to the direction of the secondary D traces relative to the final mintmark — each direction produces a different overlap geometry. Collectors examining 1939-D Mercury dimes should use 10-15x magnification focused on the D mintmark, assessing whether the secondary impression appears to the left (indicating eastward correction), below (southward), or to the right (westward). The east displacement on RPM-003 places the diagnostic evidence on the west side of the final mintmark, where the initial punch's rightward edge protrudes beyond the final D's left boundary.

External References