1862 Indian Head Cent Misplaced Date FS-301 Snow-2

Description

Cataloged as FS-301 in the Cherrypickers' Guide and Snow-2 in the Snow reference on Indian Head Cent varieties, this misplaced date on an 1862 Indian Head Cent shows date digits punched into the lower denticles beneath the normal date position. A misplaced date occurs when the die sinker initially places one or more date digits in an unintended area of the die — typically visible among the denticles or near the rim — before correcting the position. The errant impressions were not removed and remain visible on struck coins as faint outlines of the digits below the properly placed date. The 1862 Indian Head Cent was produced during the early years of the Civil War, a period when widespread hoarding of hard money drained cents from circulation and prompted the government to issue fractional currency as a substitute. Dies during this era were frequently used well beyond their normal lifespan to maintain coin output, making die deterioration and production anomalies relatively common for Civil War dates. Indian Head Cent misplaced dates are tracked through both the Fivaz-Stanton and Snow numbering systems.

Attribution History

• FS-301, Snow-2