1985 (D) Lincoln Memorial Cent - Repunched Mintmark RPM-008

Description

Providing a study in asymmetric die wear, RPM-008 on the 1985-D Lincoln Memorial cent shows differing die states between obverse and reverse in its Stage A documentation — the obverse in early die state while the reverse has already progressed to mid-die state. VarietyVista catalogs this as UVC-998 with die marker record DMR-009. This asymmetry is a natural consequence of the coining process: obverse and reverse dies wear at different rates depending on their design depth, metal flow patterns, and whether one die is fixed (anvil) versus moving (hammer). The reverse die — carrying Frank Gasparro's detailed Lincoln Memorial with its twelve columns, steps, and surrounding inscriptions — often accumulates wear faster than the obverse due to the design's complexity. Stages B and C remain unconfirmed, awaiting additional specimens to flesh out the later die state documentation. The direction of repunching has not been specified in the attribution notes, inviting further study by specialists.

Die Markers

• UVC-998
• DMR-009
• Stage A:
• Obverse is EDS
• Reverse is MDS
• Stage B:
• MDS (unconfirmed)
• Stage C:
• LDS (unconfirmed)

External References