My best cherrypick to date arrived! (1868 Snow-13 Indian Head Cent)
Omegaraptor
Posts: 541 ✭✭✭✭✭
Many collect the Indian Head Cent series by date, neglecting the varieties. In my opinion, the varieties are the most interesting thing about the series.
About a week ago I was looking through Indian Head Cent listings on Ebay when this 1868 caught my eye. I took one long look at it, became excited, and clicked “Buy It Now” before anyone else could. The seller had the option to make an offer, but I gladly paid the full $28 price. I wasn’t risking this one slipping out of my hands.
Today, it arrived, and it’s better than the seller pics suggested:
It is very clearly the rare and valuable Snow-13 variety. It is an attractive chocolate brown high end AG. Slight repunching is still visible on the date! However, what I mainly saw was the massive die gouge on the shield. I didn’t think I could outdo my 1797 S-121b cent marked as “dateless” that easily, but I managed to do it.
PCGS population on this variety is only two coins, an AG-3 and a Fine-15 which sold for $800 at auction, and the guide says $200 for a PCGS AG-3.
"You can't get just one gun." "You can't get just one tattoo." "You can't get just one 1796 Draped Bust Large Cent."
Comments
http://www.indiancentvarieties.com/1868_variety013.html
I agree with your statement about die varieties. You have a tremendous advantage when you know your series well, as you have demonstrated.
Nice score. It would have been really easy to miss the variety based on seller's pictures.
You have a good eye to see a slight RPD like that on such a low grade coin.
I can only see it under magnification. What I saw in the coin was the massive die gouge in the shield. I should have clarified that.
"You can't get just one gun." "You can't get just one tattoo." "You can't get just one 1796 Draped Bust Large Cent."
Very cool. Thank you for sharing and congrats on the awesome find!
Congratulations on your acquisition..... and a great price as well. I have not learned the varieties (well, a few of the more popular one's) on most series... and likely miss opportunities because of that unfamiliarity... Someday I must go through my coins and see if I have unwittingly acquired some varieties...Well, it could happen
Cheers, RickO