1942-S Repunched Mintmark WRPM-020

Description

Twentieth repunched mintmark cataloged by the Wexler Team for the 1942 San Francisco Lincoln Wheat Cent, WRPM-020 presents an S/S Tilted or Rotated displacement — the second punch applied at a different rotational angle, creating overlapping serifs that diverge angularly rather than along a simple directional axis. Extensive die markers on both sides provide supplementary identification points. Tilted or rotated RPMs represent a less common displacement category than standard directional shifts, since they require the die setter to rotate the steel letter punch between applications. San Francisco struck 85,590,000 Lincoln Cents in 1942, the final year of standard bronze before the wartime transition to zinc-coated steel in 1943. Each working die received its S mintmark through individual hand-punching, and the rotational component distinguishes WRPM-020 from the nineteen preceding RPM entries. Cataloged under Wexler Variety ID 1942-S 1-cent WRPM-020, no additional cross-references are known. S/S Tilted (Rotated) Die Markers: Obverse: ESE/WNW die gouge through the designer’s initials. Short die scratches on the bottom of the L in LIBERTY. Die scratch between the rim and the back of the L in LIBERTY. Long die scratch next to the rim running N/S above the L in LIBERTY with two smaller die scratches running SW to NE forming an X. Reverse: Die scratch running N/S to the west of the upper C of CENT. Short die scratch running SW/NE from the inside of the lower O in ONE. N/S die scratch is seen inside the lower opening of the S also inside the upper opening and between the legs of the R of PLURIBUS. Very fine N/S die scratches in the field.

Attribution History

• Discovered by David Bloomberg Cross References: None known
• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1942-S 1¢ WRPM-020
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References