1947-S Repunched Mintmark WRPM-018

Description

Submitted by Brian Ribar and cataloged by the Wexler Team as 1947-S 1c WRPM-018, this Lincoln Wheat Cent variety features a Sans Serif Mintmark punched over a Trumpet Tail Mintmark — a distinctive repunching scenario where two different styles of S mintmark punch were used on the same working die. The "Trumpet Tail" S is an older-style punch where the tail of the S flares outward like a trumpet bell, while the "Sans Serif" S has clean, unadorned terminals. When the second punch (Sans Serif) was applied over the first (Trumpet Tail), the remnants of the flared trumpet tail from the initial impression remain visible beneath or alongside the final clean-ended S, creating a particularly interesting visual diagnostic that goes beyond simple positional repunching to involve actual punch style differences. Cross-referenced as CONECA RPM #7 and Coppercoins 1947S-1MM-004, this variety is well-documented across multiple attribution services. Obverse die markers include a short die scratch extending north from the head positioned below the O of GOD. The reverse carries a light die crack along the left side of the left wheat ear, turning south-southwest before the wheat grains and running to the rim at approximately the 9 o'clock position. The 1947-S cent was struck at the San Francisco Mint in standard bronze alloy (95% copper, 5% tin and zinc) at 3.11 grams and 19 mm diameter. The punch-style variation — Sans Serif over Trumpet Tail — makes WRPM-018 especially appealing to mintmark variety specialists who study the evolution and usage patterns of different mintmark punches across U.S. Mint production.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Brian Ribar
• CONECA: RPM #7, Coppercoins: 1947S-1MM-004; Wexler Variety ID: 1947-S 1¢ WRPM-018
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References