1908-S Indian Head Cent Grading Set - The First Branch Mint Cent

illini420 · 07-04-2009, 01:05 PM

Hello everyone. I just joined this Forum this weekend so I figured that my first thread here should be a good one (though many of you will likely prefer my second thread as it’ll be a giveaway!). I’m fairly active over at the Collectors Universe U.S. Coin Forum and I already see several familiar faces here, but many new ones as well. A few months ago when I posted this set over at the other forum, The Penny Lady suggested that I also post it over here. Now I am finally getting around to it!!

While my first love in coin collecting is my 1909 Mint Set (link in signature line), I also really enjoy collecting Indian Head Cents. I figured that a decent way to learn the series and how to grade the series better was to work on a grading set (one example of each grade). I've always loved the 1908-S semi-key date as it's the first time the cent was produced outside of the Philadelphia Mint.

For those who have never attempted a grading set, it’s a fairly expensive task since you pretty much need to choose a semi-key or key date coin; otherwise, if you choose a common date coin the lower graded certified examples will simply not be available. You need to choose a coin that is worth the certification fees even in the lowest grades or you’ll spend lots of time and money sending the coins in for certification yourself hoping they come back graded the way you need them to come back. The 1908-S Indian Head Cent works well since it is available in all grades G4 and above and is much less expensive than the key dates such as the 1877 or 1909-S.

In looking at my 1908-S IHC grading set, I know that not all of the examples in the set below are the best examples for the grade, some are overgraded a little and some undergraded a little, and some have other distractions like nicks and spots. However, some of them are fairly low population coins for the grade and it can be hard to find even one example in the grade at all. If you would like to know the current pops of these coins, a link to the Showcase set in the PCGS Registry with that information is in my signature. Eventually, I’ll “upgrade” a few of them once I find better examples, but for now they'll have to do. Also, sorry that some of my photos aren’t the best. I have difficulty taking photos of copper especially and plan to have the set professionally imaged once complete.

Thanks for looking and hope that maybe the set helps a few others learn the series too. Feel free to post your questions or comments. I’m especially interested in hearing which examples you feel are overgraded or undergraded.

PCGS G04

PCGS G06

PCGS VG08

PCGS VG10

PCGS F12

PCGS F15

PCGS VF20

PCGS VF25

PCGS VF30

PCGS VF35

illini420 · 07-04-2009, 01:05 PM

PCGS XF40

PCGS XF45

PCGS AU50

PCGS AU53

PCGS AU55

illini420 · 07-04-2009, 01:06 PM

PCGS MS62BN

PCGS MS63BN

PCGS MS63RB

PCGS MS63RD

PCGS MS64RB

PCGS MS64RD

PCGS Genuine - 91 Questionable Color

PCGS Genuine - 97 Environmental Damage

PCGS Genuine - 98 Damage

the_man12 · 07-04-2009, 01:12 PM

Very nice thread! Very helpful with grading these. The only thing with the 1908-s is that it may be market graded higher as a "semi-key" than a common date in the same condition.

HandsomeToad · 07-04-2009, 01:29 PM

Excellent post!

I'm not into IHC's but I loved the grade breakdown and I also noticed the mint marks are all over the place. Does anyone know how many different positions the mint mark had?

Ribbit

mark_h · 07-04-2009, 01:36 PM

Nice thread! I agree some of these are over graded, but I think they are an excellent example of how PCGS(or TPG's) in general grade key and semi-key dates for IHC's. Gotta love the baby coppers - especially IHC's. I don't have a grading set, but I have a few running around in my collection. This was a good post!

physics-fan3.14 · 07-04-2009, 01:50 PM

Very cool. I like your EF-40 and AU-50 coins a lot!

the_man12 · 07-04-2009, 01:52 PM

That ms64 red is awesome btw!

tmoneyeagles · 07-04-2009, 02:01 PM

Great post, and this can show how TPG grade semi keys and even key dates. It happens, and people can't deny it, they do overgrade them more consistently then if it was a common date, as commons can be over graded as well.
I love all of the coins posted, they would be nice to own, and good additions to anyone's collection!

mralexanderb · 07-04-2009, 03:49 PM

Excellent topic. Well appreciated.

Bruce

Art · 07-04-2009, 03:52 PM

Beautiful set. Your photography is outstanding. I really like the 62BN. Chocolate colored IHCs are my favorites. I did a grading set of 1907 IHCs - raw. Since they're the most available of all the Indian Heads it figured it would be easier. I had to contact a few dealers and specifically ask for AG and cull cents.

illini420 · 07-04-2009, 04:12 PM

Thanks for the comments and the warm welcome everyone!!

HandsomeToad: I’m not sure how many different mintmark locations there are for the 1908-S, but since dies were all made in Philadelphia and the mintmarks were added by punching an “S” on to the dies by hand I would imagine there are several different.

the_man12: The MS64RD is a spectacular example that has booming luster and is free of any noticeable marks and spotting. The coins also has a very nice strike compared to the generally soft strike of the San Francisco Indian Head Cents. I really think that this coin is better than many of the MS65RD examples that I’ve seen and passed on.

T$: I do agree that sometimes the key dates and semi-key dates get a bump in grade from the third party graders. I think maybe my XF45 and definitely my AU55 are examples of this.

Art: The MS62BN is one of my favorite coins in this set as well. Just love the strike, the color and the red peeking out from the devices. Finding low grade examples of the 1908-S has been very challenging, especially certified examples. The G4 is a pop 3 coin with no examples graded lower by either NGC or PCGS. Since these were replaced by the Lincoln Cent the following year, I suspect these didn’t circulate as long as the earlier dates in the series, especially when folks realized the mintage was relatively low for the San Francisco issues. I’ve seen a few raw AG candidates, but they have all had problems such as large scratches/hits and/or large rim nicks.

Finally, thanks to all who have nominated my first thread for a post of the week award, that is so cool!!!

P.S. Don't forget to enter my 7th post giveaway

**tpsadler** · 07-04-2009, 05:16 PM

Nice collection and great thread. Thanks for the time sharing with us. IHP is one of my favorites.

Arizona Jack · 07-04-2009, 05:41 PM

I have known Illini420 for a cpl years now, great guy.

Charmy and I had the pleasure to see this set in hand at the last SoCal show. A pretty impressive set to behold and near complete.

Also, welcome to CT !!! Glad to see you come over and share.

desertgem · 07-04-2009, 06:28 PM

Actually the most interesting one to me was the "questionable color" one. Beautiful coin. The color sure didn't seem very off to me. However, I wasn't surprised . I suspect when it gets a little more tone on the edges, it would do OK.

Jim

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