1902 Indian head cent variety. Need help.

[MtW124]

Hi everyone, I was trying to find this variety and I am having a difficult time. It looks like extra digits in the denticles under the zero in the date. It also looks like something within the denticles to the left of the date. My camera battery died so it’s charging right now or I would have had full coin photos. As soon as it charges I will get those on here as well. Thanks for taking a look.

edit: added photos Obv and Rev

[mustbebob]

Those are great photos! I have loaned out my book on these earlier, but It sure looks like something in there. Hopefully someone else can have a go at this one before too long.

[MtW124]

Thanks for looking Bob, none of the books I have show this variety. It surly has been documented by now. It doesn’t look like damage to me. I too hope someone can shed some light in regards to this one.

[MintErrors]

In Rick Snow's latest E-book, the only possibilities are Snow-008, 009 or 020.
The Snow 009 looks to be out since some of the MPD is on the field and not completely hidden by the denticles. That leaves Snow-008 or 020. Snow-020 appears to be too far to the East, leaving the best possible candidate, Snow-008.

Here is an Url for that Snow-008.

https://www.indianvarieties.com/cent...d-005-rpd-009/

[MtW124]

Thanks Gary, I did see that but Snow 8 looks to me to be much higher towards the top of the denticle than the one I have. Mine almost looks like it is arcing through 3 or 4 denticles. Same with what I see going on in the denticles to the left of the date. On that one it looks like wire in a very large arc reaching out to many denticles.

edit: im lost, guess that’s why I’m needing help. I have some other books on IHC errors and I can’t find anything at this point.

[MintErrors]

We are "assuming" this is a MPD. IF some of the best haven't discovered this by now, then something is wrong. It is either not a MPD or, it is too minor to list or, a new discovery. The denticle MPD are somewhat difficult to attribute since many rely on exact positioning and hope there is a tell tale marker or pick up point. Snow 001 is probably the most bizarre MPD for that year. I left that one off the list because I was concentrating on the area below the "0". The base of the "1" might hint at one of the MPDs I mentioned, but ummmm it's a long shot.

I do not know if the CONECA services, on the main forum area here under the attributions section would help. I do not know if they have an attributor for IHC...It's worth a shot.
You put a post there and hopefully an attributor can come up with a call whether it's a MPD or not.

Maybe emailing Rick Snow a ph⁰oto and see what he has to say.
I don't know how much he charges for attribution services, if he still does it or has retired from doing it.

Only other book I have is the FINDERS book on IHC.
If i can find some time to dig thru that one, i will see if there is a match.

[MtW124]

Thanks Gary for all of the good information. Like I said earlier, it would be hard to believe that a new variety would be uncovered after such a long time that this coin has been out there. I will check my other book on IHCs that I have when I get home next week. I’m sure I just haven’t looked far enough yet to find this one. It looks like a MPD to me. I have Richard Snows books and don’t see this one in there. I will do as you said and try to reach out to him.
thanks again for trying to help me with it.

[MtW124]

Gary, just wanted to tell you thank you for letting me know about Richard Snow. I talked to him yesterday and went ahead and sent him my coin for attribution. He was very cordial on the phone and said he would tell me one way or another what or if not the coins variety might be.

[MtW124]

We are "assuming" this is a MPD. IF some of the best haven't discovered this by now, then something is wrong. It is either not a MPD or, it is too minor to list or, a new discovery. The denticle MPD are somewhat difficult to attribute since many rely on exact positioning and hope there is a tell tale marker or pick up point. Snow 001 is probably the most bizarre MPD for that year. I left that one off the list because I was concentrating on the area below the "0". The base of the "1" might hint at one of the MPDs I mentioned, but ummmm it's a long shot.

I do not know if the CONECA services, on the main forum area here under the attributions section would help. I do not know if they have an attributor for IHC...It's worth a shot.
You put a post there and hopefully an attributor can come up with a call whether it's a MPD or not.

Maybe emailing Rick Snow a ph⁰oto and see what he has to say.
I don't know how much he charges for attribution services, if he still does it or has retired from doing it.

Only other book I have is the FINDERS book on IHC.
If i can find some time to dig thru that one, i will see if there is a match.

Well, I received the coin Back and sure enough it turns out that it’s a new Variety and was given a designation of 1902 S23 by Richard Snow of Eagle Eye out of Tucson. Thanks for all of your help CONECA and minterrors. I would have just shelved it and called it a possible variety that I just hadn’t found yet without your help.

[sumdunce]

Congratulations on finding a new variety coin!

[MtW124]

Thanks sumdunce, it would not have happened without the help of all of you here on the CONECA forum that put your time and years of experience hunting and researching all types of coinage to help us all who venture into the Hobby of coin collecting.

[MintErrors]

Thanks sumdunce, it would not have happened without the help of all of you here on the CONECA forum that put your time and years of experience hunting and researching all types of coinage to help us all who venture into the Hobby of coin collecting.

---

Congrats ! Finding a new variety is exciting, and rare.
Good move sending it to Rick.
He is probably one of the most knowledgeable and best writers for Indian head cents.