I'm curious about the mint mark on this penny, it's big and fat. I've never seen an S like this one on any other coin.
According to wexler's info. The 1942 S had a lot of RPMs s/s and s/s/s. The RPM s/s/s versions tend to match up pretty close to mine. So I'm guessing that fat S mm is a triple RPM?
wow, 77 years old and wear and tear. imagine that. I don't see any indicators when I compare it ... http://www.varietyvista.com/02a LC RPMs Vol 1/RPMs 1942S.htm RPMs occur when, either during initial mm stamping (which may need one or many strikes) or mm maintenance of the die where they inadvertantly stamp/restamp it not directly in the existing letter cavity. They of course do it right many times and thus do not create RPMs most of the time, but sometimes they are slightly off. Since the coins are made for commerce they simply don't care .. but apparently collectors do, right ? But with a misaligned stamp one would see indications of other stamps, not just the letter being fat from wear and tear. But which RPM are you correlating to yours?