1948-S Repunched Mintmark RPM-003

Description

Documented by VarietyVista on the 1948-S Lincoln Wheat cent, RPM-003 is a repunched mintmark variety catalogued under UVC-306 and DMR-005. The repunch represents a secondary impression left when the initial mintmark placement was corrected, a natural consequence of the hand-punching practice used at the San Francisco Mint before mintmarks were standardized. Die stages are documented in three phases: Stage A is early die state, characterized by die scratches running north-south on both obverse and reverse. Stage B is mid-die state, currently unconfirmed. Stage C is late die state, also currently unconfirmed. The north-south die scratches on both faces at Stage A are the most accessible early-state markers. The 1948-S Lincoln Wheat cent is struck in 95% copper alloy. The S mintmark on Wheat cents of this era was punched individually into each working die, creating consistent conditions for repunching errors across multiple production years. Collectors should focus magnification on the mintmark area, looking for the ghost image or secondary serif of the initial punch impression visible alongside or beneath the corrected final mintmark.

Die Markers

• UVC-306
• DMR-005
• Stage A:
• Die scratches North-South on Obverse – EDS
• Die scratches North-South on Reverse – EDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

External References