1890 Indian Head Cent Misplaced Date FS-301 Snow-3

Description

Cross-referenced as FS-301 in the Cherrypickers' Guide and Snow-3 in the Snow Indian Head Cent attribution system, this 1890 Indian Head Cent displays a misplaced date variety where the digit 1 was punched just above the pearls, protruding from Liberty's neck on the obverse — a dramatic positioning error that placed a date digit well away from its intended location in the date field. Misplaced dates on Indian Head cents occurred when the date punch was accidentally impressed in an incorrect position on the working die before being correctly placed in the proper date area, and unlike repunched dates where the punch lands close to the correct position, misplaced dates involve the punch striking an entirely different region of the die. The presence of the numeral 1 protruding from Liberty's neck near the pearl necklace makes this variety particularly visual and identifiable without extreme magnification, as the digit appears in an area of the design where no numeral belongs. The Fivaz-Stanton FS-301 designation confirms this as a recognized misplaced date variety worth seeking in the Cherrypickers' Guide attribution reference, while the Snow-3 number places it within the comprehensive Snow die variety catalog for Indian Head Cents. The Indian Head Cent was designed by James B. Longacre and struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 1890 in bronze composition (95% copper, 5% tin and zinc) weighing 3.11 grams with a 19.05 mm diameter. Longacre's design featuring Liberty wearing a Native American headdress served from 1859 through 1909. The 1890 date falls in the mature period of Indian Head Cent production when die-making processes were well established, making this misplaced date punch error a notable departure from the normally precise date application procedure.

Attribution History

• FS-301, Snow-3