1939-S Repunched Mintmark WRPM-005

Description

Fifth repunched mintmark documented for the 1939 San Francisco Mint Lincoln Wheat Cent, WRPM-005 (Wexler Variety ID: 1939-S 1¢ WRPM-005) builds on the variety catalog for a date that saw one of the largest S-mint cent productions of the pre-war era. Five RPMs from the 1939-S die pool indicates consistent mintmark application variations across multiple working dies, each receiving its S mintmark individually through the hand-punch process. Distinguishing WRPM-005 from the four previously cataloged varieties requires attention to the displacement characteristics — the angle, direction, and magnitude of the secondary punch impression relative to the final position. San Francisco's cent dies for 1939 arrived from Philadelphia blank in the mintmark area, and local engravers added the S before the die entered production. Any uncertainty — a tilted first strike, insufficient depth, slight misalignment — led to a corrective second punch creating the repunched mintmark. The 1939-S cent saw extensive wartime and post-war circulation, making higher-grade specimens with clear mintmark detail more desirable for attribution. Cataloged by the Wexler Team without additional cross-references.

Attribution History

• Discovered by Eric Axtell Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1939-S 1¢ WRPM-005
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References