1908 1c MS RB

1908 Cent Production: Mintage figures dropped dramatically this year.

Survivability: Although fewer coins were minted in 1908 compared to the previous year, this date is essentially no harder to locate today than any other, except perhaps in low grades.

Collecting Challenges: Examples in every grade are available. Select the most attractive and problem-free coin you can.

Collecting Circulated Pieces: The optimal collecting grade for circulated coins is AU-50 to MS-63RB. Avoid problem pieces. Examples with odd color have usually been cleaned and should be avoided as well. Collecting choice Extremely Fine and About Uncirculated Indian Head cents is a very diffcult and challenging pursuit. Many collectors who are very active have said to me that they maintain multiple collections in varying grades. As they upgrade their top set, the duplicates go into secondary collections. Only when collectors need money for a very expensive date will they part with their lowest set.

Collecting Mint State Pieces: The optimal collecting grade for Mint State coins is MS-65RD. These come well struck with better-than-average luster. 1908 cents are not any scarcer than those of other dates, although the mintage might suggest otherwise. All Indian Head cents in gem full red condition are diffcult to find. Additional effort should be taken to acquire pieces with no major problems such as spots.

Collecting Proof Issues: This is a lower-mintage date within the later-date Proofs. These tend to come with very good mirrors, although deep mirror cameo examples are quite scarce. The Mint’s practice of leaving die-polishing lines on the dies seems to have ended, as this date is not usually found with them.

26 varieties are known for this date. About half of these are repunched dates of moderate interest. The remaining varieties are misplaced dates, which are quite prevalent for this year. Misplaced dates are varieties wherein remnants from some of the digits are found in the denticles or areas of the portrait. (They could conceivably be anywhere on the design, but tend to be found in these two areas.) Prevailing opinion is that these digits were intentionally tapped into the dies, perhaps to test their hardness. The digits are usually found only on obverse dies. Collectors pay the highest premiums for the most prominent examples with the errant digit extending into the field area or in some other obvious place. Significant misplaced date varieties are listed in my Flying Eagle and Indian Cent Attribution Guide, Volume 6, 1900–1909. Additional examples are listed in Two Dates are Better Than One, A Collectors Guide to Misplaced Dates, by Kevin Flynn. One collector-researcher, Marvin Erickson, has assembled an enormous collection of misplaced dates. He began a search for these varieties long before they became well known to the general collecting public.