1970 (D) Lincoln Memorial Cent - Repunched Mintmark WRPM-003

Description

WRPM-003 is a repunched mintmark on the 1970-D Lincoln Memorial cent. No cross-references beyond the Wexler system have been established, placing the documentation burden on Wexler's research photographs and die marker notes. Repunched mintmarks from this era result from the mechanical reality of hand-punching: a steel D punch, held by a Mint technician, was hammered into the face of a working die that had already received its design elements from the hub. The mintmark location on Lincoln cents — to the right of the date, below the 0 in 1970 — offered a small target area where even fractional misalignment between hammer blows produced detectable doubling. WRPM-003's specific repunch direction and magnitude distinguish it from the other numbered WRPMs in Wexler's catalog, each representing a physically different working die with its own unique combination of mintmark displacement and die surface characteristics. For cherry-pickers sorting through 1970-D cents, the challenge lies in distinguishing genuine repunched mintmarks from die deterioration doubling — a superficially similar effect caused by progressive die wear rather than multiple punching events. True RPMs show sharp, cleanly defined secondary images, while deterioration doubling produces fuzzy, shelf-like displacement.

Cross References

• Wexler Variety ID: 1970-D 1¢ WRPM-003

External References