1978-D Repunched Mintmark WRPM-002

Description

Attributed by the Wexler Team as 1978-D 1¢ WRPM-002, this repunched mintmark variety is the second Wexler-cataloged RPM for the 1978-D Lincoln Memorial cent. Repunched mintmarks from this era are products of the hand-punch process used at the Denver Mint through 1989, in which each working die received its "D" designation from a separate letter punch struck by an engraver. Even skilled engravers occasionally misjudged the initial placement, and the correction required repositioning the punch and striking again — but the impression from the first attempt was permanently embedded in the die steel and appeared on every coin subsequently struck. WRPM-002 is related to WRPM-001 in that both document distinct repunched mintmark dies from the same date-mint combination, but each represents a separate working die with its own unique misalignment characteristics and die markers. Denver's 1978 cent production of approximately 4.28 billion pieces required an enormous number of working dies, and the hand-punch process applied to each one meant that repunched mintmarks were a recurring byproduct of die preparation. Collectors examining 1978-D cents for repunched mintmarks should compare candidate specimens against the reference images for both WRPM-001 and WRPM-002 to determine which die produced the coin in question, as the two varieties may appear superficially similar but originate from different dies with distinct diagnostic features. Attribution by the Wexler Team.

Attribution History

• s:; Wexler Variety ID: 1978-D 1¢ WRPM-002
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References