1942-D Repunched Mintmark RPM-008

Description

Eighth in the repunched mintmark sequence for the 1942-D Mercury Dime, RPM-008 exhibits a D/D with the first punch impression visible to the southwest of the final mintmark position. Every branch-mint working die in this era received its mintmark by hand — an engraver positioned a letter punch and struck it with a mallet, and any misalignment between initial and corrective impressions left overlapping outlines. The southwest direction means the original D was placed slightly below and to the left of the final position, producing a shadow image visible under magnification. The 1942-D date saw heavy Denver Mint production as wartime demand for coinage accelerated, and the high volume of dies consumed increased the likelihood of mintmark errors. Adolph Weinman's Winged Liberty design features the small D mintmark on the reverse near the fasces, a location that shows repunching clearly against the open field. Silver composition, 90% fine. Mercury Dime RPMs are a cornerstone of the variety collecting specialty.

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