1951-S Repunched Mintmark RPM-004

Description

Fourth repunched mintmark documented for the 1951-S Franklin Half Dollar, this RPM-004 shows an S over S repunched to the south — sharing the southward direction with RPMs 002 and 005 but distinguished by its specific displacement magnitude and the overlap pattern created by its unique die. Paired with reverse design variant RDV-001b, the same reverse variant as RPM-003 but with a different repunching direction (south vs west), this die marriage creates a distinct combination for attribution purposes. While RPMs sharing the same displacement direction might seem redundant to casual observers, each represents a separate physical die that received its mintmark independently — the specific angle, force, and position of each punch application creates measurable differences in the overlap pattern. Distinguishing between multiple southward-repunched S varieties requires careful comparison of the exact displacement distance and the precise relationship between the initial and final S impressions. The 1951-S Franklin Half Dollar's four RPMs (002 through 005) represent one of the denser RPM concentrations in the series for a single date-mint combination. Struck in 90% silver at 30.6mm. Examine the S mintmark for the southward repunching, comparing the specific overlap characteristics to RPMs 002 and 005 to distinguish this fourth die's unique punch placement.

External References