1971-S Repunched Mintmark RPM-002

Description

Unique among the 1971-S Lincoln Memorial cent RPMs for documenting two separate die marriages from a single obverse die, RPM-002 catalogs an S/S West displacement on a business strike die that was paired with two different reverse dies during its service life at San Francisco. The first die marriage carries UVC-955 and DMR-003, progressing through three stages: Stage A at EDS (unconfirmed), Stage B with the obverse at MDS and die scratches running north-south on the reverse at MDS, and Stage C with the obverse at LDS and the die scratches weakened but visible at LMDS (Late-Mid Die State). The second marriage — UVC-956 and DMR-004 — represents Stage D, where a die crack running north-south behind Lincoln's ear indicates VLDS (Very Late Die State) while the new reverse die starts fresh at EDS. The transition from DMR-003 to DMR-004 records the moment San Francisco's production line retired the original reverse die and paired the still-serviceable RPM obverse with a replacement, continuing to strike coins from the repunched obverse die even as it deteriorated into very late die state with its developing die crack. The S/S West displacement means the initial mintmark punch landed east of target, with the corrective second punch shifting the S westward and leaving the first impression's traces to the east of the final position. Obverse die variant ODV-027 indicates the normal tie configuration. VarietyVista's documentation of both die marriages provides die variety collectors with the ability to distinguish early-production RPM-002 cents (paired with the first reverse) from late-production specimens (paired with the second reverse and showing the die crack behind the ear at VLDS).

Die Markers

• UVC-955
• DMR-003
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Obverse is MDS
• Die scratches North-South on Reverse – MDS
• Stage C:
• Obverse is LDS
• Die scratches weak but visible – LMDS
• UVC-956
• DMR-004
• Stage D:
• Die crack North-South behind ear – VLDS
• Reverse die change – EDS

Attribution History

• Discovered by Unknown
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References