Have two 1940-D Lincoln Wheat Cents, one has the mint real close to the date almost between the 9 and 4, the second one has the mint mark further down below the date. Red book make no mention of this as a variety and not sure it is an error coin. Can't post a picture, camera stolen from my son in Costa Rico. Is this something like small date/ large date variety or is it just so common it's not important. I just labeled the 2x2 Close Mint and Far Mint???
It is not an error or a variety. It is merely a product of the time. Mintmarks were punched into the dies by hand back then. Naturally, the exact location of the mintmark on each die varied, some slightly, some more. The Mint specified an area within which the mintmark had to be placed and as long as it was within that specified area it was OK.
Until 1990 when the cent mintmark was put on the master die and there are no RPMs after that. This is also the case for cent Proofs since 1985. Jim
