1947-S Repunched Mintmark WRPM-019

Description

Nineteenth in the catalog of repunched mintmarks for the 1947-S Lincoln Wheat Cent, WRPM-019 records another instance where the hand-applied S mintmark required repositioning during die preparation. Attributed by the Wexler Team as 1947-S 1-cent WRPM-019, this variety preserves evidence of manual die work that characterized U.S. Mint production for over a century. The mintmark punch — a small steel tool bearing the S letter — was struck into the working die face by hand, and any imprecision left a permanent secondary impression that could not be removed without damaging the die. San Francisco produced a moderate quantity of Lincoln Cents in 1947, the second full year of postwar production. Each working die shipped from Philadelphia arrived without a mintmark, requiring a worker at San Francisco to add the S before the die entered the press. The nineteen documented RPMs for this date demonstrate that misalignment was routine rather than exceptional. Collectors attribute this variety through careful examination of the mintmark area, looking for doubled outlines, offset traces, or split serifs that betray the initial punch position.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Brian Ribar
• None known Comments: The photo of the RPM was taken by Brian Ribar.; Wexler Variety ID: 1947-S 1¢ WRPM-019
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References