Hi, everyone. I'm really enjoying CoinTalk. I am pretty sure that I found a die clash on an 1899 Indian Head Cent. Notice the raised part going through the C on the reverse. It appears to align with the nose of the figure on the obverse. The overlay picture at this link on Mad Die Clashes (http://www.maddieclashes.com/Small_Cents.html) shows where the nose on the obverse lines up right through the C on the reverse. I don't have much experience with errors and would welcome input from more knowledgeable folks on this forum. Is this a well-known or common error on Indian Head Cents? I couldn't find mention of it in the "Cherrypicker's Guide." I would appreciate your thoughts and commentary!
Interesting coin. It is not in Rick Snow's Indian cent attribution guide. Maybe he'd give your coin a new Snow #? I'd consider spending $4 and sending it to him for inspection.
That's an interesting error. It's certainly not a cud, as the letter is intact. Richard Cooper may have an obverse die overlay on his website you may be able to consult on your clash theory. Whenever checking out a clash on an overlay, you want to be familiar with the alignment of your dies. If they're off (i.e., as in, "rotated"), you want to make that adjustment. Good luck.
It does appear to be a die clash and as a rule die clashes do NOT rate a variety designation. An exception to this are mis-matched denomination die clashes such as the 1857 cent clashed with a seated liberty half or a double eagle etc. The reason for this is that any two die pairs that clash will typically create the same clash marks. Die clashes may indicate a given die stage of a variety, but they do not identify the variety itself.
Not a variety, but still a neat coin, I collect clashes in the series along with it's varieties. The clashes and die cracks are very common, and quite interesting if you like collecting such things.
Many thanks to everyone for your comments. This is part of an Indian Head Cent collection that my father assembled in his youth and gave to me years ago. I told him about this die clash that I discovered in the collection and the feedback from this forum, and he's pleased to hear that the collection includes something so interesting.
How about 1889 Snow31? Just a die clash. Actually multiple die clashes, but still, possible to have a snow with out anything else.
If it has no other distinguishing features other than the clashes then it could represent any number of die pairs and is not a legitimate die variety.
