1889 Indian Head Cent Repunched Date FS-301

Description

Designated FS-301 in the Fivaz-Stanton Cherrypickers' Guide, this 1889 Indian Head Cent features a bold repunched date variety where all four digits of the date (1889) are repunched below the original punch position. The consistent downward shift across all four digits confirms that the entire four-digit date logotype was repunched as a single unit rather than individual digits being independently repositioned — a diagnostic distinction that reveals the mechanical process used at the Philadelphia Mint, where date logotypes containing all four digits were struck into working dies as a complete set in a single hammer blow. When the first impression landed slightly too high, the engraver repositioned the logotype downward and applied a second blow, leaving the remnants of the initial high impression visible above the final date position on every coin subsequently struck from this die. The secondary impressions are described as visible below the final date — meaning the first impression was higher and the corrective punch moved the date lower into its intended position, with collectors viewing the remnant of the original higher impression above each digit. 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. The boldness of this repunched date — with all four digits showing clear secondary impressions — makes it one of the more visually prominent date varieties within the 1889 Indian Head Cent die population, and the FS-301 designation in the Cherrypickers' Guide confirms its recognition as a variety worth searching for when examining 1889-dated specimens.

Attribution History

• FS-301