The view that the sunspot index time sequence is of lessened validity prior to about 1850 is shown to be consistent with an error in the 1780--1800 time period when phase, offset of the Hale carrier sinusoid from zero mean, and the amplitude modulation envelope all show a lack of conformity with respect to the remainder of the record subsequent to the Maunder minimum. This lack of conformity is consistent with an error that delays one or more of the 11-year cycle minima but recovers phase subsequently. This type of error creates a strongly coherent set of companion changes in offset of the carrier from zero mean and in the amplitude modulation envelope.