1882 Indian Head Cent Broken 2 FS-301 Snow-2

Description

Listed in the Cherrypickers' Guide as FS-301 and the Snow catalog as Snow-2, the 1882 Indian Head Cent "Broken 2" variety exhibits a date anomaly where the top of the final digit 2 is missing — the result of a defective date punch used to impress the date into the working die. Unlike die breaks or filled dies where damage occurs during striking, this defect originated in the steel punch itself, meaning every coin struck from the affected die carries the identical broken-top appearance. Struck in bronze (95% copper, 5% tin and zinc) at the Philadelphia Mint, this belongs to James B. Longacre's Indian Head Cent series. The Broken 2 is well established within the Indian Head collecting community, carrying dual attribution in two of the most consulted references. Defective date punch varieties occupy a unique niche because the error is traceable to the punch stage of die production rather than the hubbing process or striking press. The FS-301 Cherrypickers designation ensures commercial recognition, and Snow-2 places it in the standard die variety catalog. Collectors identify the variety at a glance by the truncated top of the final digit.

Attribution History

• FS-301, Snow-2