1970-S Repunched Mintmark RPM-001

Description

Premier entry in the VarietyVista repunched mintmark catalog for the 1970-S Lincoln Memorial cent, RPM-001 documents a Large Date business strike with the secondary S mintmark displaced to the north of the primary impression — S/S North — producing extra metal visible above the final mintmark under magnification. Cataloged under obverse die variety ODV-025, with die markers UVC-941 and DMR-003, this variety is notable for tracking through four documented die stages (A through D) that chronicle the die's complete working life with unusual granularity. Stage A at Early Die State captures the die in its freshest condition, when the northward repunched mintmark evidence is at its sharpest and most diagnostic. By Stage B at Mid Die State, a die break has developed on the C of AMERICA on the reverse — a structural failure that provides an independent attribution marker while signaling the onset of die fatigue. Stage C advances to Late-Mid Die State, where a die crack has appeared over the VDB designer's initials on the obverse, adding another progressive marker that helps collectors sequence their specimens within the die's production arc. Stage D at Late Die State shows the die crack over VDB strengthened and extended, documenting terminal deterioration before the die was finally retired. This four-stage progression — from clean early impressions through progressive die cracks and breaks to terminal fatigue — offers collectors the rare opportunity to assemble a die-state set from a single RPM variety. Particularly significant is the documented provenance: specimens can be found in 1970 Mint Sets, the uncirculated coin sets sold directly by the U.S. Mint to collectors, which means that Mint-sealed packaging preserves some examples in original, unhandled condition. The Mint Set provenance also confirms that RPM-001 entered service on dies used for regular production rather than being confined to a short test run.

Die Markers

• UVC-941
• DMR-003
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Obverse is MDS
• Die break on C of AMERICA – EDS
• Die scratches North-South on the Right side of the Memorial
• Light die cracks on column # 1, 9, 10, 11, and 12
• Stage C:
• Light die crack over V.D.B. – LMDS
• Light die crack along lower lapel
• Die scratches on Reverse are gone – EMDS
• Small die chip on column # 9
• Stage D:
• Stronger die crack over V.D.B. – LDS
• Stronger die crack along lower lapel
• Small die chip East of V.D.B.
• Reverse is MDS

Attribution History

• Discovered by Unknown
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References