1988-D Repunched Mintmark RPM-001

Description

Cataloged as RPM-001 in the VarietyVista system with die markers UVC-1024 and DMR-002, this repunched mintmark variety on the 1988-D Lincoln Memorial cent documents a die on which the D mint mark punch was applied more than once, with a slight positional shift between applications. Repunched mintmarks occurred during the era when individual mint marks were manually punched into working dies at the branch mints — a process that required a Mint employee to position a letter punch over the designated area of the die and strike it with a hammer, then verify alignment and potentially repeat the process if the initial impression was insufficiently deep or poorly positioned. When the second punch did not perfectly overlay the first, traces of the initial impression remained visible alongside the final mint mark, creating the characteristic doubled or shadowed appearance that defines an RPM. This variety is documented across three die states: Stage A at EDS (early die state), Stage B at MDS (unconfirmed), and Stage C at LDS (unconfirmed). The progression from early through late die state captures how the repunching evidence evolves as the die wears — early die state specimens typically show the sharpest, most clearly defined secondary punch traces, while advanced die states may partially obscure the repunching under accumulated wear. Struck at the Denver Mint on copper-plated zinc planchets (97.5% zinc, 2.5% copper) at 2.5 grams and 19mm.

Die Markers

• UVC-1024
• DMR-002
• Stage A:
• Obverse and Reverse are EDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

External References