1972-S Repunched Mintmark RPM-001

Description

Tracked by VarietyVista under die marker codes UVC-1237 and DMR-003 with the diagnostic notation S/S Rotated CCW (counterclockwise), this 1972-S Proof Washington Quarter RPM-001 holds the primary catalog position among repunched mintmark varieties for the date, distinguished by a rotational rather than simple directional displacement of the secondary S punch. The counterclockwise rotation means the mintmark punch was held at a slightly different angular orientation during the second application, creating a rotational offset where different portions of the secondary S show varying degrees of separation from the primary letter — appearing to fan outward at some points and converge at others around the letter’s curves. Three die stages document the working die’s service life: 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). Rotational RPMs produce a more complex visual signature than simple directional shifts, as the displacement varies around the circumference of the letter rather than being uniform, requiring careful examination under 10x or higher magnification to fully characterize the rotation angle. The 1972-S Proof Washington Quarter was struck at the San Francisco Mint on polished planchets in copper-nickel clad composition weighing 5.67 grams at 24.26 mm diameter. John Flanagan’s Washington Quarter design features the presidential portrait on the obverse and a heraldic eagle on the reverse. As RPM-001, this rotated variety holds precedence over the directional S/S North variants (RPM-002, RPM-003) and the S/S East variant (RPM-004) cataloged for the same proof date, suggesting its rotational character or early discovery earned it the primary position in the VarietyVista catalog.

Die Markers

• UVC-1237
• DMR-003
• Stage A:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Obverse and Reverse are MDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Lee Hiemke
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References