1941-D Repunched Mintmark RPM-003

Description

Documented by VarietyVista with die markers UVC-093 and DMR-004, this 1941-D Lincoln Wheat Cent displays a repunched mintmark where the D was applied more than once at the Denver Mint. Three documented die stages reveal an unusual asymmetry in die wear progression: Stage A places the obverse in early die state (EDS) while the reverse is already in mid-die-state (MDS), Stage B advances the obverse to MDS while the reverse reaches late die state (LDS), and Stage C is fully late die state (LDS, unconfirmed). This staggered deterioration pattern — with the reverse consistently one stage ahead of the obverse — suggests the reverse die experienced more rapid wear, possibly due to its wheat ear design concentrating stress differently than the obverse portrait. The Lincoln Wheat Cent was designed by Victor David Brenner for the obverse portrait, struck at the Denver Mint in 1941 in standard bronze composition of 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc, weighing 3.11 grams with a 19.05 mm diameter. The 1941-D had a substantial mintage of approximately 128.7 million pieces, produced in the year America entered World War II following the attack on Pearl Harbor. The D mintmark was hand-punched into each working die, and the third cataloged RPM for this date suggests a moderate variety population. Examination under 10x magnification focused on the mintmark area reveals the offset between primary and secondary D impressions, while the documented die stages allow collectors to assess whether a given specimen represents early, middle, or late production from this die pair based on the relative wear characteristics visible on each side.

Die Markers

• UVC-093
• DMR-004
• Stage A:
• Obverse is EDS
• Reverse is MDS
• Stage B:
• Obverse is MDS
• Reverse is LDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

External References