1973-D Repunched Mintmark RPM-001

Description

Representing the only documented repunched mintmark for the 1973-D Kennedy Half Dollar, RPM-001 shows a D/D Northwest displacement — a diagonal shift combining both northward and westward elements in a single misplaced impression. This compound directional error occurred when the mint worker's initial punch landed to the upper left of the intended position before the correction was applied. Northwest displacements are less frequently encountered than simple cardinal-direction repunches, making this variety of particular interest to RPM specialists. The 1973-D Kennedy Half continued the copper-nickel clad composition that had replaced 40% silver after 1970, and Denver's production volumes for the denomination remained moderate during this period. Hand-punched mintmarks were still standard practice in 1973, though the Mint was moving toward incorporating mintmarks directly into the master die — a change that would eventually eliminate repunched mintmarks as a variety category for newer issues. Collectors pursuing Kennedy Half Dollar RPMs find the 1973-D date significant because it falls near the end of the hand-punch era, after which no new repunched mintmark varieties could be created. As the sole RPM cataloged for this date, it stands as the primary die variety of interest for collectors focused on mintmark anomalies in early 1970s half dollar production.

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