1971-S Repunched Mintmark RPM-006
Error
Description
Tracked by VarietyVista under die marker codes UVC-1227 and DMR-008 with the diagnostic notation S/S West, this 1971-S Proof Washington Quarter RPM-006 presents a repunched S mintmark where the secondary impression is displaced to the west of the primary — indicating the initial S punch landed slightly too far east, and the corrective repunching shifted the final mintmark westward while leaving the original impression’s remnant visible to the east of the accepted placement. Three die stages track the working die’s service: Stage A is mid-die state (MDS, unconfirmed); Stage B confirms both obverse and reverse at MDS; Stage C is late die state (LDS, unconfirmed). The westward displacement direction sets this variety apart from the northward and southward RPMs also documented on 1971-S proof quarters, providing directional diversity within the year’s repunched mintmark population. As a proof coin, this Washington Quarter was struck at the San Francisco Mint on polished planchets using specially prepared dies, yielding the mirror-like fields and sharp device definition that characterize proof coinage and aid in the examination of the repunched mintmark detail. The 1971-S Proof Washington Quarter was produced in copper-nickel clad composition weighing 5.67 grams with a diameter of 24.26 mm. John Flanagan designed the Washington Quarter obverse after Houdon’s bust of George Washington, paired with the heraldic eagle reverse. The concentration of multiple RPM varieties (RPM-001 through at least RPM-009) on 1971-S proof quarters reveals the inherent variability in the hand-punching process used to apply the S mintmark to each individual proof die, creating a rich field for collectors specializing in proof Washington Quarter varieties.
Die Markers
- UVC-1227
- DMR-008
- Stage A:
- MDS (unconfirmed)
- Stage B:
- Obverse and Reverse are MDS
- Stage C:
- LDS (unconfirmed)
Attribution History
- Discovered by Timothy Wissert
- Expert attribution by VarietyVista
External References
Additional Notes
S/S West.
Community & Reference
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More Repunched Mint Mark Errors
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