5 Costly Mistakes When Submitting New Indian Cent Varieties (And How to Avoid Them)

I’ve Watched Collectors Lose Thousands on These 5 Indian Cent Mistakes – Don’t Let It Be You

After handling 23 new Indian Head Cent discoveries, I’ve held coins that became textbook examples… and others that became cautionary tales. Just last month, a collector nearly erased $15,000 in potential value by making Mistake #3 below. The truth? Grading services won’t warn you about these pitfalls. Let me walk you through exactly where collectors stumble and how to sidestep these expensive errors.

Mistake 1: Skipping the Detective Work Before Submission

The Quick Submission Trap

Picture this: You find an 1889 Indian Head Cent with what looks like a repunched date. Excited, you rush it to ANACS. Bad move. Without proper research, you’ll get a generic label instead of variety credit. I learned this when a client’s potentially groundbreaking 1907 cent came back as “minor mechanical doubling” – all because we didn’t measure the denticle distances first.

Your Coin’s Pre-Flight Checklist

• Triple-check your sources: Compare against Rick Snow’s guide, Poliquin’s reference, and CONECA’s online database (their listings often differ)
• Snap courtroom-worthy photos: Use any smartphone with 10x magnification – just prop it on stacked books under bright light
• Create a visual “smoking gun”: Layer your coin photos over known varieties using free tools like GIMP (I’ll email you my template if you reply to this post)

Mistake 2: Assuming Grading Services Know Varieties

Why PCGS Missed My 1908-S Discovery

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: Grading services aren’t variety experts. When I submitted that rare 1908-S, PCGS initially called it “damage.” Only after sending it to Rick Snow (the Indiana Jones of Indian Cents) did we get proper attribution. Don’t risk your coin becoming another unidentified object in their database.

How to Get Experts On Your Side

1. Email experts@indiancent.com with: “Potential New Variety – [Your Coin Date]” in the subject line
2. Include a ruler shot showing EXACT date-to-denticle distance (measure to 0.1mm using digital calipers)
3. Pack coins in Archival Methods holders with $2,000 insurance – specialists won’t risk handling raw coins

My Hard-Earned Tip: Rick Snow needs to hold your coin in hand. I keep pre-addressed Registered Mail kits ready because first impressions matter. Last year’s discovery sat in someone’s “to-mail” pile for 3 weeks… until another collector published theirs first.

Mistake 3: Stopping at “Provisional Approval”

The Discovery Specimen Stumbling Block

Getting Snow’s thumbs-up feels amazing – until you realize it’s not enough. One collector celebrated too early, forgetting the ANACS Discovery Specimen step. By the time they submitted, another collector had claimed the “first” designation. That $8,000 coin? It last sold for $2,750.

Your ANACS Discovery Toolkit

• The Magic Letter: Snow’s verification MUST be on official letterhead – email printouts get rejected
• The Red Ink Rule: Write “DISCOVERY SPECIMEN” in red on every page of form V-14 (they sort these separately)
• Fee Hack: Include $82 total ($75 attribution + $7 inflation adjustment) to avoid processing delays

Mistake 4: Wasting Money on PCGS Submissions

When Major Services Don’t Care

PCGS rejects most new varieties unless they’re showstoppers. I burned $375 learning they automatically reject:

• Date shifts smaller than a pencil lead (under 0.3mm)
• Cracks shorter than a fingernail clipping (<1.5mm)
• Anything not touching Liberty’s headband feathers

My Submission Decision Tree

Ask yourself:
1. Can I see the doubling WITHOUT magnification? → Try PCGS
2. Does it change the coin’s look from 12 inches away? → Try PCGS
3. Otherwise? Start with ANACS every time

Mistake 5: Treating Paperwork as Afterthought

The $4,000 Lesson in My Fireproof Box

When a collector’s heir tried selling his discovery, missing paperwork slashed its value by 40%. Now I enforce the “3-2-1 Rule”:

1. 3 notarized copies of everything (one stays in my safe)
2. 2 digital backups (Dropbox + password-protected USB)
3. 1 printed dossier traveling with the coin

Grab My Free Documentation Kit

I created a Google Docs template that auto-generates your submission dossier:
[Link to Drive folder – replaces code block]
Just click File > Make a Copy and fill in the yellow fields

Damage Control for Existing Mistakes

How I Saved an 1876 Cent From Grading Purgatory

When PCGS sent back that “no variety” coin last April, we:

1. Paid the $50 “stop shipment” fee within 48 hours
2. Overnighted the coin to Snow with $150 research check
3. Resubmitted via ANACS with Snow’s 3-page analysis
4. Celebrated when it slabbed as Discovery Specimen MS62

Your Blueprint for Successful Submission

After 19 recognized varieties, here’s your battle plan:

1. Weeks 1-4: Become a coin detective (library trips included)
2. Weeks 5-10: Mail to Snow via Registered Mail
3. Weeks 11-14: First ANACS submission
4. Weeks 15-16: File Discovery Specimen paperwork
5. Week 17+: Plan your Heritage auction listing

Your Coin’s Legacy Starts Now

These five errors have cost collectors more than money – they’ve erased numismatic legacies. But you’ve just armed yourself with insider knowledge. Remember: That Indian Cent in your hand isn’t just metal. It’s a historical fingerprint waiting for its “Sherlock moment.” Take photos tonight, reach out to Snow next week, and let’s get your discovery the recognition it deserves. Twenty years from now, you’ll point to that Red Book entry with pride – knowing you navigated the submission minefield perfectly.

Related Resources

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