1961-D Repunched Mintmark RPM-036
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Description
Attributed by VarietyVista under UVC-813 with die marriage record DMR-050, RPM-036 on the 1961-D Lincoln Memorial Cent is a repunched mintmark variety whose three die stages chart a concise but diagnostically informative arc from early production through terminal deterioration. Stage A carries an Early Die State (EDS) classification, though this designation remains unconfirmed — no definitive specimen has yet been verified at this earliest phase, leaving open the possibility that additional early-state diagnostics may surface as more examples are examined. By Stage B, the die has advanced to Mid Die State (MDS), where the key diagnostic is a die gouge dot visible in the lower E of UNITED at MDS. This localized gouge dot, embedded within the national inscription, provides a reliable attribution marker that collectors can use to confirm specimens from the mid-stage production run. Stage C records the die’s terminal phase, defined by two prominent obverse features: a heavy die scratch running northeast from the chin and a light die crack forming on the forehead, both confirming Late Die State (LDS). The reverse has also deteriorated to LDS at this point. The heavy chin scratch is among the more visually distinctive die markers in the 1961-D RPM series, as its northeast trajectory from the chin creates a bold linear feature that contrasts with the more subtle forehead crack. Together, these two LDS diagnostics make late-state specimens of RPM-036 readily identifiable, even on circulated coins where the secondary mintmark impression may have been softened by wear.
Die Markers
- UVC-813
- DMR-050
- Stage A:
- EDS (unconfirmed)
- Stage B:
- Obverse is MDS
- Die gouge dot in lower E of UNITED – MDS
- Stage C:
- Heavy die scratch Northeast from chin – LDS
- Light die crack on forehead
- Reverse is LDS