1961-D Repunched Mintmark RPM-037

Description

Documented by VarietyVista as UVC-814 with die marriage record DMR-051, RPM-037 on the 1961-D Lincoln Memorial Cent is a repunched mintmark variety notable for the concentration of reverse structural damage around the CENT inscription and Memorial columns. Four die stages trace the die’s journey from fresh surfaces through severe columnar failure. Stage A presents both the obverse and reverse in Early Die State (EDS), representing the die pair at their cleanest and the point at which the repunched mintmark impression would be most clearly defined. Stage B marks a dramatic escalation of reverse damage at Mid Die State (MDS): a die crack in the hair on the obverse is joined by die chips on columns 1 and 12, a die break on the right cornice, a small die chip at the left base tip, a die crack on the E of CENT, a die break on the N of CENT, and a depression under the right side crossbar of the T of CENT. This seven-item inventory of reverse anomalies at a single stage represents an unusually rapid onset of structural deterioration. Stage C sees the obverse reach Late-Mid Die State (LMDS) while the column 1 die chip grows larger at LMDS and a die break appears on column 12. By the terminal Stage D, the obverse has reached LDS and the column 12 die break has deepened to a severe level at LDS. The progressive worsening of the column 12 failure across Stages B through D — from initial die chip to die break to deep die break — provides a textbook illustration of how localized die steel fatigue compounds over continued production.

Die Markers

• UVC-814
• DMR-051
• Stage A:
• Obverse and Reverse are EDS
• Stage B:
• Die crack in the hair – MDS
• Die chip on column # 1 and 12 – MDS
• Die break on Right cornice
• Small die chip at Left base tip
• Die crack on E of CENT
• Die break on N of CENT
• Depression under Right side crossbar of T of CENT
• Stage C:
• Obverse is LMDS
• Larger die chip on column # 1 – LMDS
• Die break on column #12
• Stage D:
• Obverse is LDS
• Deep die break on column #12 – LDS

External References