1942-S Repunched Mintmark RPM-011

Description

Documented by VarietyVista with die markers UVC-132 and DMR-013, this 1942-S Lincoln Wheat Cent displays an S/S West repunched mintmark — meaning the initial S mintmark punch was placed slightly too far east, and the corrective second punch shifted the final S westward, leaving a remnant of the first impression visible to the east of the primary letter. Three documented die stages track this variety through its production life: Stage A places both the obverse and reverse in early die state (EDS), Stage B advances both sides to mid-die-state (MDS), and Stage C represents late die state (LDS). This three-stage progression captures the complete service life of the die pair from its fresh early condition through accumulated wear and structural changes to its final deteriorated state. The Lincoln Wheat Cent was struck at the San Francisco Mint in 1942, the year before the wartime composition change to zinc-coated steel for the 1943 issue. The 1942-S cent was produced in standard bronze composition of 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc, weighing 3.11 grams with a diameter of 19.05 mm. Victor David Brenner designed the obverse portrait of Abraham Lincoln, which has remained in continuous use since 1909, while the wheat ears reverse served the denomination from 1909 through 1958. San Francisco Mint repunched mintmark varieties from the early 1940s are actively collected because the wartime production urgency — with the nation mobilizing for World War II — may have contributed to less precise die preparation, potentially increasing the frequency of mintmark misalignment events that required corrective re-punching.

Die Markers

• UVC-132
• DMR-013
• Stage A:
• Obverse and Reverse and EDS
• Stage B:
• Obverse and Reverse are MDS
• Stage C:
• Obverse and Reverse are LDS

Attribution History

• Discovered by Michael L. Ellis
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References