1962-D Repunched Mintmark RPM-016

Description

Representing the sixteenth cataloged repunched mintmark for the 1962-D Lincoln Memorial Cent, RPM-016 adds another entry to a population that reflects the scale of Denver Mint production in 1962, when over 1.79 billion cents required hundreds of individually hand-punched obverse dies. Each time a die technician at the Philadelphia Mint positioned the "D" mintmark punch against a new die blank and struck it with a mallet, there existed a small but real chance of the punch shifting between impressions, and RPM-016 preserves exactly that kind of misregistration. The variety is documented under VarietyVista catalog numbers UVC-872 and DMR-022, with die progression tracked through three stages. Stage A captures both obverse and reverse in early die state (EDS), when the secondary mintmark impression is at its most distinct and the surrounding die surfaces retain their original polish. By Stage B, the obverse has progressed to mid-die state (MDS) and a die break has developed at the right eave of the Lincoln Memorial on the reverse — a common failure point in Memorial cent reverse dies, where the thin horizontal element of the eave concentrates striking stress. Stage C is listed as late die state (LDS) but remains unconfirmed. The right eave die break provides a convenient screening diagnostic: collectors can quickly check the reverse for this structural failure before investing the closer examination time needed to confirm the repunched mintmark on the obverse.

Die Markers

• UVC-872
• DMR-022
• Stage A:
• Obverse and Reverse are EDS
• Stage B:
• Obverse is MDS
• Die break at Right eave – MDS
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

External References