1896 Indian Head Cent Repunched Date FS-301 Snow-1

Description

Designated FS-301 in the Cherrypickers' Guide and Snow-1 in the Snow attribution system, this 1896 Indian Head Cent displays a repunched date variety in which the original 6 was punched east of its final position. The eastward shift of the 6 serves as the primary diagnostic, with the other date digits appearing correctly positioned on the initial punch, indicating a selective correction rather than a full repositioning of the date logotype. Repunched dates on Indian Head Cents occurred during die preparation when the four-digit date logotype was impressed into the working die at a slightly incorrect position, requiring a second impression to achieve the intended placement. The residual traces of the first punch survived die finishing and appear as secondary impressions on struck coins. As the first-listed Snow variety for the 1896 date, Snow-1 holds the primary position in the attribution catalog. The 1896 Indian Head Cent was struck at the Philadelphia Mint in the standard bronze composition of 95% copper with 5% tin and zinc. Longacre's Indian Head design was in its thirty-eighth year of production, with only thirteen years remaining before the introduction of the Lincoln Cent in 1909. The dual listing under both FS and Snow numbering systems reflects this variety's recognition across multiple major attribution references.

Attribution History

• FS-301, Snow-1