1953-D Repunched Mintmark RPM-002

Description

Cataloged by VarietyVista under UVC-453 and DMR-003, this 1953-D Lincoln Wheat Cent RPM-002 is the second documented repunched mintmark for the date. Three die states trace the die's working life through progressive deterioration. Stage A presents both obverse and reverse in early die state, when the secondary D mintmark impression is typically most visible before die wear softens the overlap. Stage B advances to MDS with developing markers on both sides. Stage C progresses into LDS with accumulated die fatigue visible across the design. The three-stage record provides a representative die-life history for a mid-century Wheat Cent RPM. Denver struck 700,515,000 Lincoln Cents in 1953 — a substantial output requiring hundreds of die pairs, each with its D mintmark individually hand-punched. The hand-punching process, where a steel letter punch was positioned and struck by hammer into the working die, made slight positional differences between first and second applications virtually inevitable. Second in the catalog sequence, RPM-002 was among the earliest repunched mintmarks documented for this prolific Denver date.

Die Markers

• UVC-453
• DMR-003
• Stage A:
• Secondary mintmark not broken but thin at center – EDS
• Die gouge dots in field East of the T of CENT
• Stage B:
• Light die scratch from 5 through Northwest corner of mintmark – EMDS
• Reverse is EMDS
• Stage C:
• Secondary mintmark broken at center – MDS
• Reverse is MDS

External References