1964-D Repunched Mintmark RPM-006

Description

Sixth documented repunched mintmark variety on the 1964-D Washington Silver Quarter, RPM-006 exhibits a D/D North orientation — the initial D mintmark punch was placed slightly south of its intended position, and the corrective second punch shifted the final impression northward, leaving traces of the original placement visible below. The accompanying note that the mintmark is positioned slightly lower than RPM-002 provides collectors with a comparative diagnostic that helps distinguish this variety from other D/D North repunched mintmarks on the same date. The 1964-D Washington Quarter is the final silver-composition quarter produced for general circulation by the Denver Mint, as the Coinage Act of 1965 mandated the transition to copper-nickel clad composition beginning the following year. This terminal silver status makes the 1964-D quarter one of the most collected dates in the Washington Quarter series, and repunched mintmark varieties add a specialist dimension to that popularity. Prior to 1990, each working die received its mintmark through individual hand-punching by a Mint employee using a small steel punch bearing the appropriate letter, and this manual process was inherently subject to positional variation. When the initial impression landed off-target, a second corrective punch was applied, but traces of the first impression remained visible in the die and transferred to every coin struck from it. Six documented repunched mintmarks on the 1964-D quarter reflects both the high number of die pairs consumed during this massive-mintage final silver year and the careful examination that collectors have devoted to this historically significant date.

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