1889 Indian Head Cent Repunched Date FS-302 Snow-4

Description

Cataloged as FS-302 in the Fivaz-Stanton Cherrypickers' Guide and Snow-4 in Rick Snow's comprehensive Indian Head Cent attribution system, this 1889 Repunched Date variety displays the digits 89 repunched above their original positions in the date. The secondary impressions of both digits are clearly visible above their final placements, indicating the date logotype punch was initially struck slightly higher than intended before the die maker repositioned it downward for the final, corrected blow. This type of repunched date was characteristic of 19th-century die preparation at the Philadelphia Mint, where individual date punches were manually positioned into each working die — a labor-intensive process prone to alignment errors that modern single-squeeze hubbing has eliminated entirely. The Indian Head Cent, designed by James Barton Longacre and produced from 1859 through 1909, was struck in a composition of 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc beginning in 1864, weighing 3.11 grams with a diameter of 19.0 mm. By 1889, the series was in its mature production phase at Philadelphia, where millions of cents were produced annually. The dual cross-reference listing under both the Fivaz-Stanton and Snow systems reflects this variety's recognition by multiple attribution authorities, and the clear visibility of the repunched 89 digits makes this an accessible cherrypicking target. Examination under 5x to 8x magnification reveals the secondary date impressions sitting distinctly above the primary numerals, with the upper serifs of the 8 and 9 showing the most pronounced doubling where the two punch strikes overlap.

Attribution History

• FS-302, Snow-4