1942-S Repunched Mintmark WRPM-018

Description

Cataloged by the Wexler Team as 1942-S 1¢ WRPM-018, this Lincoln Wheat Cent displays a repunched S mintmark with extensive die marker documentation across two progressive die states. Stage A obverse markers include strong die gouges above Lincoln's head, while Stage B shows these same gouges slightly weaker along with a new light die gouge appearing to the left of the mintmark — documenting the progressive smoothing of die surface anomalies through continued striking. The reverse provides equally detailed staging: Stage A shows a small die gouge (appearing as a dot) under the E in ONE and another under the C in CENT; Stage B retains both of these gouges while adding a die crack extending from the right wheat tip through the UM of UNUM and another die crack running south from the left wheat stalk. This progressive crack development on the reverse documents the mechanical stress accumulation in the die steel during high-volume production. Victor David Brenner's obverse portrait of Abraham Lincoln has appeared on the cent since 1909, while the reverse wheat ears design, sometimes called the "wheat penny" reverse, served from 1909 through 1958. Struck at the San Francisco Mint in 1942, the coin is composed of 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc, weighing 3.11 grams with a 19.05 mm diameter — the final year of standard bronze composition before the wartime 1943 steel cent. The 18th cataloged repunched mintmark for the 1942-S date reflects the substantial variety potential created by the San Francisco Mint's manual mintmark application process, where each working die received its S punch individually by hand, creating numerous opportunities for positional variation across the die population.

Attribution History

• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1942-S 1¢ WRPM-018
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References