1949-S Repunched Mintmark RPM-002

Description

Cataloged as RPM-002 by VarietyVista (UVC-325, DMR-004), this 1949-S Lincoln wheat cent displays an S/S mintmark repunched to the west. Three die stages track the variety through production. Stage A in early die state has markers unconfirmed. Stage B at early-to-mid die state develops strong north-south die gouges in the fold between shoulder and lapel on the obverse, while the reverse reaches mid-die state. Stage C in late die state shows a small die chip inside the lower 4 of the date, with the reverse die state unknown. The westward repunching means the original S impression is visible displaced east of the final position, detectable as a faint shadow at the right edges of the mintmark serifs. The obverse die gouges at the shoulder-lapel fold in Stage B provide a useful secondary diagnostic for die-state identification. Lincoln wheat cents from 1949-S had moderate San Francisco mintages, and RPM varieties from the late 1940s represent the tail end of hand-punched mintmark methods that would eventually give way to more precise mechanical processes.

Die Markers

• UVC-325
• DMR-004
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Strong die gouges North-South in fold between shoulder and lapel – EMDS
• Reverse is MDS
• Stage C:
• Small die chip inside lower 4 of date – LDS
• Die state of the Reverse is unknown

Attribution History

• Discovered by Delma K. Romines
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References