When did the Philadelphia Mint stop punching branch mint's Mint Marks ?

MFH

I have been looking at a number of branch minted coins from the main series
that I collect, the Barber Series, and it occurred to me that all the reverse dies
that were shipped to the branch mints ( New Orleans, Denver and San Francisco )
had the mint mark hand punched at the Philadelphia Mint.

When did this practice stop ?

If the Philadelphia Mint punched a mint mark onto a reverse die, and decided they
didn't like the position of the mint mark, ( ie: 1897-S Quarters ), they would normally
advise the branch mint to stop that particular die from any further impressions. Then,
the Philadelphia mint would send out other dies ?

Let's say, the Philadelphia mint impressed a reverse die with a Denver Mint Mark on a
coin, such as a Quarter, then realized it was too large a mint mark. Before shipping the
Reverse Die, the Philadelphia mint would try and erase ( buff out ) the wrong mint mark.

Knowing how frugal many Directors of the Mint have been in the past, would these reverse
dies be pressed into service "as is" ... having a Ghost D mint mark ? Obviously, if
these effaced Reverse Dies were actually placed into service, either at the Philadelphia Mint
or if they were shipped to the Denver Mint, the faint impression of the Ghost Mint Mark would
very possibly be impressed onto the coin.

Has anyone seen any example of a Ghost Mint Mark ? ( Wouldn't it be a hoot if the 1892-O
Half Dollar Micro O Reverse Die had another die, which was made in between the size of the
Micro O and the Standard O used in the normal production ! ) Same could be said for the
1905-O Micro O Dime. There was once talk of an 1892-S Micro S Half. Anyone ever see one,
or the evidence of a die being made for one ?

Has anyone ever checked to see if there are any 1892 Half Dollars that look like their Micro O
mint mark's been buffed off ... Or a 1905 Dime showing a Ghost Mint Mark ?

I am looking for research material I am putting together for a future article on Ghost Mint Marks.
Any and all comments are gratefully received.

This question doesn't necessarily mean just Barbers, but Seated coinage ...
or any hand punched Mint Marked dies.

Many thanks for your input, in advance.

keyman64

Interesting question. RWB (Roger W. Burdett) ATS would certainly know. Too bad he isn't allowed to post here. Might have to go ATS for the answer?

MFH

Thank you, I certainly will.

keyman64

Oh, David Lange ATS might have some good insight as well.

JMW

I think it's certainly a possiblity that the mint created at least a die or two with a mint mark and then ploished it off. Just look at Buffalo nickels and all of the things that happened with those dies. Three leggers, and two feathers. The ghost (if it did exist) would most likely appear on higher grade coins, and disappear rather quickly once it made it into circulation.

ProofArtworkonCircs

In 1990, mintmarks were first added to the master die for cents and nickels.
In 1991 it was done for dimes, quarters and halves.

Red Book examples of mintmark modification include $1 1900 - O/CC, Quarter - 1950 D/S and S/D, Nickel - 1942 D/D, 1949 D/S, 1954 S/D, 1955 D/S,
and Cent 1944 D/S, 1946 S/D. 1956 D above shadow D.

I find it interesting that on several occasions D/S and S/D seem to occur in pairs within the same year or adjacent years.