1978-D Repunched Mintmark RPM-001

Description

Cataloged by VarietyVista as RPM-001 for the 1978-D Lincoln Memorial cent, this repunched mintmark variety shows a D/D Southwest — the initial mintmark punch landed southwest of its intended position before a corrective second impression placed the "D" at its final location. During this era, Denver's mint mark was applied by hand: an engraver positioned a letter punch against each working die and struck it with a hammer to impress the "D" into the steel. If the first blow was not precisely on target, a correction required repositioning and re-striking, but the ghost of the initial impression remained permanently embedded in the die. RPM-001 has been documented in three die stages that chart the die's progressive deterioration during its service life. Stage A presents the obverse in early die state with die scratches running east-west on the reverse in an early-mid die state (EMDS) — a transitional condition between fresh EDS and fully developed MDS. Stage B corresponds to mid die state (unconfirmed), while Stage C represents late die state (unconfirmed), the two later stages reflecting the continued wear that accumulated as the die produced additional coins. Die markers UVC-3120 and DMR-002 provide the diagnostic fingerprint for confirming attribution across all three stages. Denver struck approximately 4.28 billion cents in 1978, ensuring that specimens of RPM-001 entered circulation in substantial numbers. The D/D Southwest displacement direction is one of the more commonly encountered orientations among Lincoln cent repunched mintmarks. Attribution by VarietyVista.

Die Markers

• UVC-3120
• DMR-002
• Stage A:
• Obverse is EDS
• Die scratches East-West on Reverse – EMDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Brian Allen
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References