1942-D Repunched Mintmark WRPM-001

Description

Designated RPM #1 by CONECA and carrying the Coppercoins catalog number 1942D-1MM-001, this is the primary repunched mintmark variety for the 1942 Denver Mint Lincoln Wheat Cent, with the D mintmark punched over a previous D positioned to the southwest. Before mintmarks were incorporated into master dies in 1990, each working die received its mintmark via a hand-held punch, and imprecise placement of the initial strike necessitated a corrective second blow — leaving both impressions visible on every coin struck from that die. The obverse die marker is a slanted die scratch to the upper right of the Y of LIBERTY, while the reverse shows an almost vertical die scratch between the CA of AMERICA. The photographs documenting this variety were taken by Brian Ribar for the Wexler RPM Files, and the variety is cross-referenced under Wexler Variety ID 1942-D 1-cent WRPM-001. Struck during World War II at the Denver Mint, the 1942-D Wheat Cent was produced in large quantities — over 206 million pieces — using the standard bronze composition of 95% copper and 5% tin-and-zinc, the last year before the Mint switched to zinc-coated steel in 1943 to conserve copper for the war effort. As RPM-001, this is the most widely recognized repunched mintmark for the date.

Attribution History

• Discovered by John A. Wexler Cross References: CONECA: RPM #1, Coppercoins: 1942D-1MM-001 Comments: The photos of this variety were taken by Brian Ribar for the Wexler RPM Files.
• CONECA: RPM #1, Coppercoins: 1942D-1MM-001 Comments: The photos of this variety were taken by Brian Ribar for the Wexler RPM Files.; Wexler Variety ID: 1942-D 1¢ WRPM-001
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References