1948 (D) Lincoln Wheat Cent - Repunched Mintmark WRPM-034

Description

Cataloged by the Wexler Team as WRPM-034 on the 1948-D Lincoln Wheat Cent, this repunched mintmark variety displays a D/D Tilted (Rotated) pattern where the Denver mintmark was applied at a different rotational angle before being corrected. Obverse die markers include die scratches running southwest to northeast between the lower W and E of WE, and short die gouges between the bottom front of the bust and the rim, with additional die scratches found throughout the obverse. Reverse markers include a die scratch running south from the bottom left of the N in UNITED to the top left of the O in OF, and a small die gouge below the right side of the O in ONE. The extensive distribution of die scratches and gouges across both sides of this die pair suggests a working die that saw significant production use and possibly underwent maintenance polishing during its service life. Cross-referenced as Wexler Variety ID 1948-D 1-cent WRPM-034 with no other known attributions, this variety sits within a large catalog of repunched mintmark varieties for the prolific Wheat Cent series. The 1948-D Lincoln Wheat Cent was struck at the Denver Mint in 95% copper and 5% tin-and-zinc (the wartime zinc-only alloy having been discontinued after 1946), weighing 3.11 grams with a diameter of 19.05 mm. Denver produced approximately 172.6 million cents in 1948, a high-volume production year that generated a substantial working die population. The tilted RPM subtype creates characteristic curved overlap patterns on the D mintmark that differ from simple directional displacement, requiring careful examination under 10x or greater magnification to distinguish the rotational component from wear-related ambiguity.

Cross References

• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1948-D 1¢ WRPM-034

External References