The Holy Grail? 1888/7? IHC

My wife has a better camera and we used better lighting and She took these pics up close. I'm really kinda shocked!

Close up of date!

So I put your closeup of the date on your coin alongside a certified 1888/7 Snow-1.
One way dies are identified is by the position of the date in relation to the denticles.
Comparing the two coins, I think the dates start at slightly different positions (see the lines).
Coupled with the fact that important markers such as the rim Cud and weak feather are absent, suggests to me this isn't a 1888/7.
Now I do see that dark spot under the last "8", but is it the 8/7? On the 1888/7 I pictured this is a raised semi-circle of metal.
That's just my conclusion--I'll let others comment.

I have to agree with DVCollector. I don't see any attributable signs that it is an 1888/7 Snow-1.

I think what we are seeing here is crud under the 8. The Cud in UNITED has to be present on all known examples if I'm not mistaken.

I see that one, and I suspect the wear on the denticles has removed the Cud, although I wouldn't be surprised if 'Eagle Eye' Rick Snow could see it. On the other hand, the 8/7 is very clear on that coin.

Here's a PCGS-certified 1888/7 Snow-1 in G-4. At this grade, I'm not sure I could attribute the overdate. There's more wear on the date; I could easily dismiss the 8/7 as a hit on the digit.
But I can still spot the denticles to the date, and the alignment is correct.



And here's a certified VG-8, where the rim Cud is easy to spot, as is the 8/7. No arrows are needed--the diagnostics are that obvious.



One grade higher, a VG-10: the rim Cud is more obvious, but the 8/7 is harder to see--lighting? Again, the date position is exact to the previous examples posted. The weak 8th feather is very evident too.

On any given 1888 IHC, the datapoints add up to either confirm or deny the Snow-1. It's never just one detail; the "big picture" helps collectors locate varieties like this one.
Hopefully these pictures will be useful for study, and who knows...maybe a CCF member will find one!

I have also stared at countless 1888's--a few until my eyes nearly fell out of their sockets.
So I've developed a process for looking at this date without losing my sanity--using steps of increasing detail:
1. Do I see something underneath the 8--is it dirt or something else? Then, is the date position correct? If not, it can't be the one.
2. If the date position looks 'about right', then I look for the rim Cud (if the denticles remain).
(The correct date position and rim Cud should eliminate 99.999% of 1888 IHCs--I have yet to find one meeting these criteria.
3. Finally if everything else looks good, I would scrutinize the last 8 very carefully for the 8/7 markers. (At this point, the coin would be in my possesion--I've never gotten this close)

Sorry llmyr71--I cannot see you last picture, so I didn't comment on it.

Very good observation--the 1888/7 is obviously tilted closer to the denticles--there's always something new to learn.