1939-D Repunched Mintmark RPM-003

Description

Documented by VarietyVista with die markers UVC-0108 and DMR-007, this 1939-D Washington Silver Quarter RPM-003 is a repunched mintmark variety where the D mintmark received multiple applications during die preparation at the Denver Mint, with the earlier impression remaining partially visible alongside the final placement. Three die stages chart this die's service life: Stage A is early die state (EDS, unconfirmed); Stage B documents both the reverse and obverse at mid-die-state (MDS); and Stage C is late die state (LDS, unconfirmed). The confirmed MDS observation in Stage B provides a baseline reference for specimen condition at the midpoint of this die's operational life, when the initial sharpness has begun to soften but the die has not yet developed the extensive wear, flow lines, and potential structural failures characteristic of late die states. The 1939-D Washington Quarter was struck at the Denver Mint in 90% silver composition (90% silver, 10% copper) weighing 6.25 grams with a diameter of 24.26 mm. The 1939-D had a mintage of approximately 7.1 million pieces, a moderate figure for the pre-World War II era. John Flanagan designed the Washington Quarter with the obverse based on Jean-Antoine Houdon's bust of George Washington, and the heraldic eagle reverse featuring laurel and olive branches served from 1932 through 1998. Repunched mintmark varieties on 1930s Washington Quarters document the manual mintmark application practices of the Depression era, when each working die at the Denver Mint received its D letter through individual hand-punching. The 1939-D RPM family, including this RPM-003, WRPM-002 (with its triple-punched D/D/D), and RPM-001, collectively illustrate the range of positional variations generated across the die population for a single date-mint combination during this period.

Die Markers

• UVC-0108
• DMR-007
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Reverse and Obverse are MDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

External References