1951-D Repunched Mintmark RPM-023

Description

Documented by VarietyVista with die marker codes UVC-382 and DMR-029, this 1951-D Lincoln Wheat Cent RPM-023 features a repunched D mintmark — the 23rd cataloged RPM variety for the 1951-D date-mint combination, a substantial number reflecting the large die population required to produce the 1951-D's extensive mintage. Three die stages are documented: Stage A in early die state (EDS), unconfirmed; Stage B with both obverse and reverse at mid-die-state (MDS); and Stage C at late die state (LDS), also unconfirmed. The MDS confirmation for Stage B establishes the die condition at which typical specimens were produced, providing a baseline for what collectors should expect when examining potential examples of this variety. The DMR-029 die marker reference number — the 29th marker set in the VarietyVista system for this variety — indicates a comprehensive set of diagnostic features documented for the reverse die that distinguishes it from the other 22-plus 1951-D RPM varieties in the catalog. The 1951-D Lincoln Wheat Cent was struck at the Denver Mint in standard bronze composition (95% copper, 5% tin and zinc) weighing 3.11 grams with a 19.05 mm diameter. The early 1950s represented a period of robust coin production as the postwar economy continued to expand, requiring large numbers of cents from both the Denver and Philadelphia Mint facilities. Victor David Brenner designed the obverse portrait, and the wheat ears reverse was approaching its final decade before the 1959 transition. The high RPM number for this variety (023) illustrates how systematic die-by-die examination of the 1951-D cent population has revealed an extensive family of mintmark positioning variations, each representing a unique working die that received its D mintmark through the manual punch application process.

Die Markers

• UVC-382
• DMR-029
• Stage A:
• EDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage B:
• Obverse and Reverse are MDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

External References