1970-D Repunched Mintmark WRPM-002

Description

Second in John Wexler's repunched mintmark catalog for the 1970-D Lincoln Memorial cent, WRPM-002 carries the full designation 1970-D 1¢ WRPM-002 and documents a die on which the Denver D mintmark was punched into the working die at least twice with visible misalignment between impressions. During the era of hand-punched mintmarks — which for Lincoln cents extended through 1989 — a Mint employee would position a small steel letter punch bearing the appropriate mintmark over the designated area of a working die and strike it with a mallet. If the first blow did not fully seat the mintmark, or if the punch shifted slightly before a second blow, the resulting die would carry overlapping D impressions permanently embedded in its steel face. Every coin struck from that die then inherits the same doubled mintmark, making repunched mintmarks a die variety rather than a striking error. The 1970-D date stands out in Lincoln cent variety collecting for producing an extraordinary concentration of RPM, DDO, and other die varieties — a prolific output that reflects the Denver Mint's massive production volume and the systemic conditions of its die preparation workflow during this period. Collectors examining 1970-D cents should use 10x or higher magnification focused on the mintmark area below the date, where even subtle displacement between punch impressions can be detected as extra metal or notching at the edges of the D.

Attribution History

• Wexler Variety ID: 1970-D 1¢ WRPM-002
• Expert attribution by Wexler Team

External References