1938-D Repunched Mintmark RPM-005

Description

Documented by VarietyVista with die tracking codes UVC-065 and DMR-007, this 1938-D Lincoln Wheat Cent RPM-005 is a repunched mintmark variety from the Denver Mint. Three die stages track the complete service life of this working die: Stage A shows both obverse and reverse in early die state (EDS), capturing the die pair near the beginning of production when surfaces were relatively pristine; Stage B shows both sides in mid-die-state (MDS), representing the middle of the die's production run with moderate accumulated wear; and Stage C shows both obverse and reverse in late die state (LDS), documenting the die near the end of its useful service life with significant wear and deterioration. This complete three-stage documentation from EDS through MDS to LDS — with all three stages confirmed rather than noted as unconfirmed — provides an unusually thorough record of the die's entire production arc. No specific die markers beyond the RPM itself are detailed in the documentation, and no cross-references to other cataloging systems are recorded. The 1938-D Lincoln Wheat Cent was struck at the Denver Mint in the standard bronze alloy of 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc, weighing 3.11 grams with a 19.05 mm diameter. Victor David Brenner's obverse portrait was in its 30th year of production. The 1938 date falls in the pre-World War II period when mintmark application was entirely manual — each Denver working die received its D mintmark from a small steel punch hammered by hand, and the repunching documented here records one instance where that manual process required a corrective second impression to achieve satisfactory mintmark placement.

Die Markers

• UVC-065
• DMR-007
• Stage A:
• Obverse and Reverse are EDS
• Stage B:
• Obverse and Reverse are MDS
• Stage C:
• Obverse and Reverse are LDS

External References