1859 Indian Head Cent Repunched Date FS-303 Snow-3

Description

Cross-referenced as FS-303 and Snow-3, this 1859 Indian Head cent features a repunched date where the 18 is visible below the final position of the 18 in the date. Repunched dates are a product of the hand-punching process used to add date digits to working dies throughout the nineteenth century, where slight misalignment on the initial punch left traces that remained visible on every coin struck from that die. The 1859 Indian Head cent holds special significance as the inaugural year of the series, featuring the unique Laurel Wreath reverse design that was used only for this single year before being replaced by the Oak Wreath with Shield reverse in 1860. This combination of first-year status and a documented die variety with recognized catalog numbers makes the FS-303 appealing to both Indian Head cent specialists and error-variety collectors. The repunched 18 is most readily identified on specimens in Fine or better, where sufficient detail remains in the date area to distinguish the secondary impressions from normal strike weakness. Searching through 1859 cents for this variety requires careful examination of the numerals under at least 5x magnification.

Attribution History

• FS-303, Snow-3