1905 Indian Head Cent Die Clash (C/Nose/Forehead)

Description

Struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 1905, this Indian Head cent displays a bilateral die clash affecting both the obverse and reverse — evidence that the dies struck each other without a planchet between them, transferring design elements from each die onto the opposing face. On the obverse, the letter C from the reverse inscription CENT is visible clashed in front of Liberty's eye, a prominent transfer that places reverse lettering directly within the portrait area. On the reverse, the nose and forehead of Liberty's profile are clashed below and through the letter C in CENT, creating a mirror-image reciprocal clash where the obverse portrait features appear ghosted into the reverse design. This bilateral pattern — with both sides showing transferred elements — confirms a full die clash event rather than a partial contact. Importantly, this clash originates from a different die pair than the double-C clash variety also documented for the 1905 date, demonstrating that multiple die pairs experienced clashing events during the year's production run. 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, weighing 3.11 grams with a diameter of 19.05 mm. Longacre's obverse features Liberty wearing a feathered headdress, with the prominent facial features — particularly the nose, forehead, and eye area — creating recognizable clash signatures when transferred to the reverse. Die clashes on Indian Head cents are actively collected because the series' bold design elements produce distinctive and visually interesting transferred images, with the C-in-front-of-eye pattern being among the most recognizable clash configurations in the entire series.