1889 Indian Head Cent Doubled Die Reverse FS-801

Description

Designated FS-801 in the Fivaz-Stanton Cherrypickers' Guide, this 1889 Indian Head Cent features a doubled die reverse with visible doubling on the wreath elements of the reverse design. This variety represents a distinct die from the separately cataloged FS-802 (also known as WDDR-001), which shows doubling in different areas of the reverse — confirming that two independent working dies for the 1889 date each experienced their own hub misalignment events during manufacture, producing unique doubling patterns on the wreath details. The wreath reverse of the Indian Head Cent, featuring an oak and laurel wreath encircling the denomination ONE CENT with a shield at the top, provides multiple curved surfaces where hub displacement creates visible doubling along the leaf margins, veins, and berry clusters. Because each leaf sits at a different angle relative to the hub displacement vector, the magnitude and direction of visible doubling varies across the wreath, creating a unique diagnostic fingerprint for each doubled die. The 1889 Indian Head Cent was designed by James Barton Longacre and struck at the Philadelphia Mint in bronze composition (95% copper, 5% tin and zinc) weighing 3.11 grams with a diameter of 19.05 mm. The 1889 date had a mintage of approximately 48.9 million pieces, a substantial production figure that generated a large working die population. The FS-801 designation in the Cherrypickers' Guide confirms this as a recognized variety actively sought by Indian Head Cent specialists, and its distinction from the FS-802 provides collectors with two separate doubled die reverse varieties to pursue for their 1889 date holdings, each requiring independent examination of different wreath areas for proper attribution.

Attribution History

• FS-801