1950-D D/S

The 1950-D D/S over-mintmark is one of the two famous Washington quarter over-mintmark varieties from the 1950 production year, attributed by PCGS, the Professional Coin Grading Service, and NGC, the Numismatic Guaranty Company, as FS-501 in the Cherrypickers' Guide reference system. The variety occurred when a Denver working die received an initial S punch in error, then was corrected with a D punch over the top, leaving the underlying S visible as a ghost beneath the dominant D on the reverse below the wreath. The Denver production for 1950 totaled 21,075,600 pieces across all dies; only a small portion of that figure came off the over-mintmark dies, and survival in collector hands is correspondingly limited.

Authentication centers on the mintmark itself. Examine the D under five-to-ten-power magnification: genuine D/S coins show clear traces of the S serif curves to the left and right of the D, particularly along the upper-right and lower-left areas where the underlying S extends beyond the D's silhouette. Machine doubling on the mintmark, which is not collectible variety material, shows as a flat shelf-like effect rather than the rounded ghost of an underlying letter. The distinction matters: raw "1950-D D/S" listings include many machine-doubled coins that do not meet the variety standard. Buy the issue certified by PCGS or NGC with the FS-501 designation noted on the holder, and verify the photo matches before paying variety money. Strike on the variety follows the typical 1950 Denver pattern, with most certified examples concentrated in the MS63 to MS65 range.

The 1950-D D/S has been a Cherrypickers' staple for decades, and the certified market remains thin enough to support strong premiums in every grade. Realistic acquisition is a PCGS or NGC slabbed MS63 to MS65 sourced through a major auction, with prices considerably above the standard 1950-D in matching grades and Gem MS66 examples reaching into the strong four-figure territory. Variety set collectors pursuing the Washington quarter run treat this coin as one of the cornerstone entries alongside its 1950-S S/D companion and the 1942-D and 1943 doubled dies. For the broader story of John Flanagan's design and the series' production arc, see the Washington Quarter series history.