1940-S Repunched Mintmark WRPM-008

Description

An unusually rich constellation of obverse die markers accompanies this 1940-S Lincoln wheat cent repunched mintmark, cross-referenced as CONECA RPM #9 and carrying the Wexler designation 1940-S 1¢ WRPM-008. The obverse die presents four distinct diagnostic features: a die gouge at the rim above the right side of O in GOD, another gouge in the field between the tops of O and D in GOD, a die gouge running SSW from the rim to the right of the second T in TRUST, and a die gouge (appearing as a dot) positioned in the field well north of R in LIBERTY. This four-gouge obverse marker set is extraordinarily detailed for an RPM listing and provides multiple independent confirmation points for attributing the specific obverse die. The reverse carries fine die scratches running southwest from the first dot at EPU (the abbreviation reference point for E PLURIBUS UNUM). Repunched mintmarks on 1940-S wheat cents result from the hand-punching process: a Mint worker positioned the S punch over the designated spot on the reverse die, struck it with a hammer to sink the impression, then repositioned and restruck to achieve the desired depth and alignment. Any shift between punches left traces of the earlier position visible alongside the final one. San Francisco struck 112.9 million cents in 1940, a prewar production figure that kept numerous dies in rotation, each requiring individual mintmark application. The CONECA cross-reference as RPM #9 places this variety within the established organization's attribution framework, while the Wexler WRPM-008 designation provides a parallel catalog entry, giving collectors two independent reference points for locating and verifying the variety.

Attribution History

• Discovered by John Bordner Cross References: CONECA: RPM #9
• CONECA: RPM #9; Wexler Variety ID: 1940-S 1¢ WRPM-008
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References