1888 Indian Head Cent Repunched Date Snow-5

Description

This 1888 Indian Head cent displays a Repunched Date variety designated Snow-5 in Rick Snow's comprehensive attribution guide for Indian Head cent varieties. The digits 88 are repunched under the original 88 of the date, with the repunching most prominent on the last 8, where secondary digit outlines are visible beneath the final placement. Repunched dates are a natural consequence of the 19th-century die preparation process, where each digit of the date was individually punched into the working die using hand-held steel punches and a hammer. If the die sinker's initial impression was not perfectly positioned, a second blow would be struck to correct the alignment, leaving traces of the first impression visible on the finished die and all coins struck from it. The 1888 Indian Head cent was produced at the Philadelphia Mint with a mintage of 37,489,832 pieces, struck in the standard composition of 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc, weighing 3.11 grams with a 19 mm diameter. James Barton Longacre's design, featuring Liberty wearing a Native American feathered headdress on the obverse and an oak wreath with shield on the reverse, was used from 1859 through 1909. The repunched date on the final 8 serves as the primary pickup point for this variety, and collectors should examine the lower curves of the last digit under magnification to identify the secondary impression characteristic of Snow-5.

Attribution History

• Snow-5