1862 2 Over 1

The 1862 2 Over 1 overdate three-cent silver was discovered in 1963 by collector John Cobb, more than a century after the coin was struck. The variety shows a 2 punched over a 1 in the final digit of the date, though the overdate is notoriously weak. The primary diagnostic is not the doubled digit itself but a distinctive die break that runs through the 1 of the date, connecting the left side of the star point with the rim. On genuine overdates, that crack is the most reliable confirmation; the burr extending downward from the 2 is much harder to see.

Cobb's discovery made the variety a distinct Sheldon/FS entry (FS-301) and added a new target for trime specialists. Approximately three times scarcer than the standard 1862, the overdate commands a premium in all grades. No proof overdates have been documented for 1862. The coin is best authenticated by comparing the date area and die crack pattern against reference images, though certified examples on PCGS or NGC holders eliminate the attribution burden entirely.