1883 Indian Head Cent Misplaced Date FS-302 Snow-7

Description

Cataloged as FS-302 (Snow-7), this 1883 Indian Head Cent features a compelling misplaced date variety in which a partial digit 1 from the date was punched into the area of the third and fourth pearls of the Indian's necklace on the obverse. The errant punch disrupts the normal pearl pattern, providing unmistakable evidence that the date punch made contact with the die in an unintended location before the final date placement was completed. Misplaced dates on Indian Head Cents are among the more dramatic pre-production errors in 19th-century American coinage, as the pearl necklace offers a finely detailed area where even small punch impressions create visible anomalies. The disrupted pearl pattern serves as an accessible diagnostic under moderate magnification, and collectors should compare the third and fourth pearls against adjacent pearls to identify the characteristic distortion caused by the stray digit impression.

Attribution History

• FS-302, Snow-7