1949-S Repunched Mintmark WRPM-015

Description

Attributed by the Wexler Team as 1949-S 1-cent WRPM-015 and cross-referenced as CONECA RPM #7, this repunched mintmark variety appears on a 1949-S Lincoln Wheat cent struck at the San Francisco Mint. The 1949 Wheat cent is composed of 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc, weighing 3.11 grams with a 19 mm diameter. San Francisco produced 64,290,000 cents in 1949, a modest production figure that makes the date somewhat better than average in terms of scarcity for late-era Wheat cents. Repunched mintmark varieties result from the S mintmark punch being applied to the working die more than once, with the second impression not perfectly aligned with the first, leaving visible traces of the initial placement alongside the final position. The Wexler Team notes indicate that the RPM photo was taken by Brian Ribar, who has extensively documented mintmark varieties across multiple denominations. Obverse die markers are extensive and critical for attribution: a die gouge on top of the head below the D of GOD, a V-shaped die scratch inside the ear, short north-south die scratches outside the right upper area of the ear, north-south die scratches below the ear and on the neck, and north-south die scratches to the left of the 1 in the date. The reverse shows a die scratch south from the lower left side of the O in ONE and die scratches about the first A of AMERICA. The CONECA cross-reference as RPM #7 provides independent catalog verification from the Combined Organizations of Numismatic Error Collectors of America. The post-war era San Francisco Mint was known for generally lower mintages on Lincoln cents compared to Philadelphia, making S-mint Wheat cent varieties particularly attractive to collectors seeking challenging pieces.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Scott Rusch Cross References: CONECA: RPM #7 Comments: The photo of the RPM was taken by Brian Ribar.
• CONECA: RPM #7 Comments: The photo of the RPM was taken by Brian Ribar.; Wexler Variety ID: 1949-S 1¢ WRPM-015
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References