1962-D Repunched Mintmark RPM-001

Description

One of the more unusual repunched mintmarks in the Washington Quarter series, this 1962-D RPM-001 shows a D over a horizontal D — the initial mintmark punch was applied with the letter lying on its side rather than in its normal upright orientation, then corrected with a properly oriented second punch. The horizontal first impression creates a dramatically different overlap pattern compared to typical RPMs where the initial punch was simply mispositioned: instead of seeing a displaced but correctly oriented secondary D, collectors find traces of a sideways letter beneath the final upright D. This type of error in mintmark application is particularly uncommon because it requires the die maker to have held the punch at a 90-degree rotation from its intended orientation on the first strike — perhaps picking up the tool incorrectly or confusing the punch's alignment before correcting on the second attempt. The 1962-D was struck at Denver on 90% silver at 24.3mm during the final years of silver Washington Quarter production. John Flanagan's design was in its thirty-first year. Examine the D mintmark carefully for traces of the initial horizontal impression — the rotated first punch creates a distinctive pattern unlike the directional displacement seen on standard RPM varieties.

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