1950 (D) Lincoln Wheat Cent - Repunched Mintmark WRPM-016

Description

Cataloged under Wexler Variety ID 1950-D 1¢ WRPM-016, this Lincoln Wheat Cent exhibits a D/D Tilted (Rotated) repunched mintmark where the initial impression was entered at an angle before the corrected final punch. Two die stages document the progression: Stage A shows a die chip on the lower inside loop of the 5 in the date on the obverse, with three short die scratches visible under the center arm of the E of ONE on the reverse; Stage B retains the obverse die chip but the three scratches under the E of ONE have weakened noticeably. The fading of the reverse scratches between stages provides a useful diagnostic for determining die state. Repunched mintmarks on Wheat Cents from the Denver Mint are well documented throughout the late 1940s and 1950s, a period when mintmark application was still performed by hand using individual letter punches. The tilted rotation on WRPM-016 indicates the engraver recognized the misalignment and corrected it, leaving both impressions partially visible beneath the final D.

Cross References

• None known; Wexler Variety ID: 1950-D 1¢ WRPM-016

External References