1971-S Repunched Mintmark RPM-012

Description

Closing the documented 1971-S Lincoln Memorial cent RPM catalog at twelve entries, RPM-012 records an S/S North displacement on a proof die — the fourth northward-shifted proof variety in a catalog where north proved the most frequently documented displacement direction. VarietyVista attributes this variety as UVC-1182 with DMR-015, and the die state progression shows Stage A with a small die gouge in the field west of Lincoln's lower shoulder on the obverse and the reverse at EDS. Stages B and C at MDS and LDS remain unconfirmed. That early-die-state obverse gouge — a small depression in the field metal west of the shoulder — provides a diagnostic marker independent of the RPM itself, offering collectors a screening tool that can be checked quickly before investing time in resolving the more demanding repunched mintmark features. The obverse die variant ODV-028 identifies the re-engraved tie variant, consistent with the majority of proof RPMs in this catalog. As the final numbered entry, RPM-012 brings the 1971-S RPM census to a total that is remarkably high for a proof-producing date — twelve distinct repunched mintmark dies documented from a single year's production at San Francisco, a count that speaks to the inherent variability of the hand-punching process even under the more controlled conditions of proof die preparation. The complete RPM-001 through RPM-012 sequence documents northward, southward, westward, and tilted displacements across both business strike and proof formats, collectively providing a comprehensive survey of mintmark positioning variability at the San Francisco Mint during 1971.

Die Markers

• UVC-1182
• DMR-015
• Stage A:
• Small die gouge in field West of lower shoulder – EDS
• Reverse is EDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

Attribution History

• Discovered by Timothy Wissert
• Expert attribution by VarietyVista

External References