Valuing Repunched Mint Marks (RPMs): 1944-D Lincoln Cent
To truly understand the core of RPM error, we must first learn about the mint mark and how it gets onto the coin, and only after that, scan the token using a coin-identifier.com.
The Mint Mark is a small letter on a coin, clearly pointing to the specific mint where the coin was made, for example, the letter "D" showing the coin was made in Denver, Colorado; the letter "S" meaning San Francisco; and no mint mark meaning Philadelphia.
The Punching Process: Before the actual striking of the coins began, the mint workers had to prepare the main tool, this tool being the die, which is a steel cylinder having the coin's design pushed into it, transferring this design onto the coin blank with one hard hit.
Before the year 1985, in the United States, mint marks were not engraved onto the die along with the main design, workers punching them onto each die by hand separately, a worker taking a small steel punch, carrying the required letter, placing it onto the correct spot on the die, hitting the punch with a heavy hammer, leaving its mark.
The Core and Classification of the RPM Error
The Error Happening: A Repunched Mint Mark happens when the worker punching the mark onto the die hits the punch again, the reasons for this being varied, the first hit perhaps being too weak, the mark not looking complete, or the worker simply missing the exact spot.
When the worker decided to hit it one more time, using the same punch tool, he usually could not land the hit exactly in the center of the first mark, the punch moving a very small distance, maybe a fraction of a millimeter, in one direction.
As a result, the die's surface keeps two, and sometimes three, slightly overlapping marks of the mint mark.
The Transfer Mechanism: The die, having this double or triple mark, is then put into the press for striking, all coins made by this faulty die carrying this same mistake → a clear sign of the mark being punched again.
Classifying the RPM: Coin collectors put RPM errors into groups based on the direction the second mark moved compared to the first mark.
The second mark might move to the north, to the south, to the east, or to the west
The mark might not only be moved but also turned slightly clockwise or counter-clockwise
The clearness and visibility of the second mark matter a lot, the clearer and farther the second mark is moved, the higher the value becomes
It is important to know that an RPM is an error made during the die preparation, not an error of the striking press itself, it being a completely manual, human error.
The 1944-D Lincoln Cent
The 1944 Lincoln Cent with the Denver mint mark ('D') is a famous and highly wanted example of the RPM error.
The year 1944 was special in US coin making history, with the Second World War continuing, cents in 1943 being made from zinc-coated steel to save the strategic copper, and in 1944 there was a temporary change back to brass, the copper often coming from melted shell casings.
Because of the quick pace needed for wartime production, the quality control at the mints during this time was not as strict, this leading to a higher number of mistakes when punching the dies by hand.
The RPM-001 Variety: Among the many different RPM types for the 1944-D, the best known and most valuable is the one called RPM-001 in coin catalogs.
The Error's Look: In this specific error, the "D" mint mark was punched onto the die twice, with a strong and very clear movement down and to the left from the main, clearer mint mark.
This error is specially popular because it is easily seen even with a small magnifying glass, looking very noticeable, the extra part of the letter or the shadow being clearly visible below the main mint mark, the high demand for this specific coin being caused by its fame, the historical context, and the general popularity of the Lincoln Cent series.
Valuing RPMs: Factors that Change the Price
The value of a coin having a very clear RPM can be tens or hundreds of times higher than the value of the same coin from the same year without the error, the price setting for RPMs in the coin collecting community strictly depending on several key points.
How Visible and Clear the Error Is: This is the most important point, the price directly depending on how clearly and strongly the signs of the second punching can be seen.
If the error is only visible under a powerful microscope, looking like a small, slightly thicker edge on the letter "D," the extra value will be very small.
If the eye or a coin identification app can see that the letter "D" has a clear extra element, the coin's price increases sharply and greatly, collectors being willing to pay much money only for these very clear errors.
The Rarity of the Specific RPM Type
For one year and mint, there might be several dozen different RPM types, each having its own catalog number.
Die Use: Some faulty dies were used for only a short time, striking just a few thousand coins, while others might have been used for a longer period, making hundreds of thousands of coins, the types released in the smallest numbers being the rarest and, therefore, the most expensive.
Coin catalogs give a rating of rarity for each type, this rating being the main help for setting the base price.
The Coin's Condition
The condition of the coin, or its grade, is the second most important thing after the error itself, the coin's grade being measured on the Sheldon scale from 1 to 70.
In Circulation: A coin used in daily shopping will have a quite low price, even if it has a rare RPM.
Perfect Condition: The highest price goes to coins in perfect condition, never having been used , the color being also important for Lincoln Cents, RD (Red) meaning the original copper red shine is still there, such coins being the most valued.
The Multiplying Effect: The combination of a very rare RPM and perfect condition gives the maximum value, a 1944-D coin with a strong RPM in MS-65RD condition possibly costing many times more than the same coin in VF or XF.
Identifying and Certifying RPMs
Collecting and valuing RPMs is a job needing high precision and specialized knowledge.
To surely identify an RPM, collectors use strong magnifying tools, or, more commonly, digital microscopes, the RPM errors, especially the valuable ones, needing to be clearly shown and photographed under high magnification for proof.
Collectors use a coin scanner or some special catalogs, which have pictures and full descriptions of every known RPM type, the identification process being simple matching the mark's movement on the coin with the catalog's description, the coin being considered less valuable or not an RPM if the movement does not match any known record.
The most valuable RPM coins must be sent to independent grading companies, these experts confirming the RPM error is really there and matching a specific catalog number, giving the coin a number grade using the Sheldon scale, and finally sealing the coin in a special plastic slab.
Coins having this certificate gain much more trust in the market, their selling price always being higher, their truth and condition being confirmed by independent experts.
The Historical Importance of the RPM Error
RPM errors have not only coin collecting value but also historical importance, their happening being directly linked to the old ways of making coin dies.
Stopping Manual Punching: Around the year 1985, the US Mint completely changed its production method, the mint mark being taken out of the manual punching process and included in the main design
Value as an Artifact: Because of this, coins having an RPM are historical artifacts, clearly showing the change from hand work to machine process in coin making, their value increasing because they are proof of the old, imperfect, but original manual method that is no longer used
Conclusion
Repunched Mint Marks, as shown by the detailed look at the 1944-D Lincoln Cent, stand as one of the most valued types of errors in coin collecting, their high cost not being due to chance, but to the strict mix of three important factors:
The more the mark is moved, and the clearer the second mark can be seen
The shorter the time the faulty die was used, resulting in fewer coins being made
Keeping the original shine and showing no signs of being used
