Indian Head Cent (1859–1909)

The Indian Head cent spans the Civil War, Reconstruction and the turn of the century, and it is often the first nineteenth-century coin a collector owns. Most dates are affordable in worn condition. The series also contains one of the classic American key dates, the 1877, and two San Francisco issues struck in its final years.

This page explains the history and design, the single most important grading diagnostic, the dates to know, and how Indian cents trade on Changes Hands.

Quick facts

History: from copper-nickel to bronze

James B. Longacre, Chief Engraver of the Mint, designed the Indian Head cent to replace the short-lived Flying Eagle cent in 1859. The portrait shows Liberty wearing a feathered headdress with LIBERTY on the headband. The first-year reverse carries a laurel wreath; from 1860 an oak wreath with a small shield at the top took its place.

The early coins were thick copper-nickel pieces. During the Civil War, hoarding drove coins out of circulation and private tokens filled the gap. In 1864 the Mint switched to a thinner, lighter bronze cent, which is the version most people picture. Late in 1864 Longacre's initial L was added to the ribbon behind the neck, creating the 1864 L variety.

Despite the name, the portrait is not of a particular Native American. It is Liberty, drawn with classical features and given a feathered headdress to make her unmistakably American. That headdress, with its band of lettering and stacked feathers, is also where the coin shows its age first, which is why collectors read the headband before anything else.

For almost its entire run the cent was struck only at Philadelphia. San Francisco joined in 1908 and 1909, and those two branch-mint coins became keys. The Lincoln cent replaced the design in 1909.

How to grade an Indian Head cent

LIBERTY on the headband is the classic diagnostic, and the Changes Hands Grading Standard builds on it. Wear also shows on the feather tips, the hair and ribbon at the neck, and on the wreath and bow. A coin must meet each band on both sides:

• Good: full date readable, portrait and wreath outlined, legends readable. No letters of LIBERTY are required.
• Very Good: at least three letters of LIBERTY visible, feathers outlined, some separation in the wreath leaves.
• Fine: all seven letters of LIBERTY visible, even if weak; feather tips and ribbon outlined.
• Very Fine: LIBERTY complete and sharp, detail in the feather tips, some leaf veins in the wreath.
• Extremely Fine: LIBERTY bold, the diamond pattern on the ribbon visible, the wreath fully detailed.

What to look out for

The 1877 is the most important coin to authenticate. Altered dates made from other 1870s cents and outright counterfeits both exist, so a raw 1877 should always be checked by a specialist. The 1908-S and 1909-S are faked by adding an S to a Philadelphia coin, so the shape and position of the S matter.

Cleaning is the most common problem on ordinary dates. Bronze that is bright orange or salmon-pink on a worn coin has been cleaned; natural Indian cents tone to shades of brown. Dark spots, green verdigris and rough, porous surfaces from burial are also frequent, and they are treated as damage rather than wear. The 1886 has two obverse types, distinguished by where the last feather points relative to the letters of AMERICA, and some collectors seek both.

Buying and selling Indian Head cents on Changes Hands

Philadelphia bronze cents from 1880 to 1907 trade as interchangeable pools, for example 1880–1907 in house Fine or in Very Fine; any date in the range that meets the band can be delivered. The keys have their own books: the 1909-S in house Good, the 1908-S in house Good and the 1877 certified PCGS G4. Worn coins with weak dates or mild corrosion go to the cull bulk class.

House-graded coins are graded blind by two independent graders, photographed and sealed with a grade report before they can trade. Buyers pay no fees, and sellers pay 3% plus a one-time grading fee only when the coin sells. Read more on how it works.

Key dates

Indian Head Cent markets

• Indian Head Cent, Culls
• Indian Head Cent, Indian Head cents 1880–1907 Philadelphia, Good
• Indian Head Cent, Indian Head cents 1880–1907 Philadelphia, Fine
• Indian Head Cent, Indian Head cents 1880–1907 Philadelphia, Very Fine
• Indian Head Cent 1908-S, House Good
• Indian Head Cent 1909-S, House Good
• Indian Head Cent 1877, PCGS G4

Frequently asked questions

How do I know if my Indian Head penny is valuable?

Check the date first: 1877, 1908-S, 1909-S and the 1869–1872 dates are the important ones, along with the 1864 L. Then look at LIBERTY on the headband, since a full LIBERTY means at least Fine. Original brown surfaces with no cleaning or corrosion matter a great deal. This is general information, not investment advice.

Where is the mint mark on an Indian Head penny?

Only the 1908 and 1909 San Francisco coins have one: a small S on the reverse below the wreath. Every other Indian cent was struck at Philadelphia and has no mint mark.

Why is the 1877 Indian Head cent so valuable?

It had the lowest mintage of the regular bronze issues, 852,500, and relatively few were saved. Strong demand from collectors completing the set keeps it in demand, which is also why it is so often faked.

Are Indian Head pennies made of copper?

Coins from 1864 to 1909 are bronze: 95% copper with tin and zinc, weighing 3.11 grams. The 1859 to 1864 coins are copper-nickel and heavier, at 4.67 grams.

Related series

• Lincoln Wheat Cent
• Buffalo Nickel
• Morgan Dollar