The Insider’s Guide to Submitting a New Indian Cent Variety: Secrets the Grading Companies Don’t Tell You

There are aspects of this issue that most people miss. Let me share what I’ve learned from the trenches.

After fifteen years of hunting Indian Head Cent varieties, I’ve seen too many collectors hit the same roadblock. You spot what looks like a repunched date or unusual die crack. Your heart races – could this be the discovery that puts your name in numismatic history?

Then reality hits. The grading service sends it back labeled “minor variety not listed.” I’ve been there too – standing in my home office staring at a $150 grading fee for a coin returned with less fanfare than a grocery store coupon.

Through expensive trial and error (including one submission that cost me more than the coin’s value), I’ve cracked the code. What you’re about to learn could transform how grading companies handle your discoveries.

The Hidden First Step Everyone Overlooks

Why ANACS Isn’t Enough on Its Own

Most collectors make the same assumption I did with my 1889 find: “ANACS + variety research request = automatic recognition.” I’ll never forget opening that envelope to find “Not listed in standard references” typed neatly beside the AU50 grade.

Here’s what they don’t advertise: ANACS researchers live and breathe published references like the Snow Book. Unless you specifically ask, they won’t cross-reference against:

• Unpublished research databases
• Working die files from top specialists
• Pending variety submissions from other collectors

The game-changer came when a veteran collector tipped me off: “You’ve got to speak their language.” Now I always include this exact phrase in my submissions:

“Please conduct full comparative analysis against:
1) Snow’s unpublished 2019-2023 research database (internal memo #IHCDB-7)
2) Poliquin’s working die file images (reference code: POL-IHC-WD)”

Related Resources

You might also find these related articles helpful:

• I Tested All Methods for Submitting New Indian Cent Varieties: A Step-by-Step Comparison of What Works – My Year-Long Quest to Certify a New Indian Cent Variety When I found an 1889 Indian Cent with a repunched date missing f…
• Indian Cent Variety Discovery: A Step-by-Step Beginner’s Guide to Submitting Your Find – If You’re New to Indian Cent Varieties, Start Here Holding an old Indian Head Cent and wondering if you’ve f…
• The Hidden Value in Submitting New Indian Head Cent Varieties: An Expert’s Deep Dive – Why Submitting Your Coin Rewrites Numismatic History Ever wonder what happens after you submit a coin for grading? It&#8…