1859 Indian Head Penny
- 1900 Indian Head Penny
- 1859 Indian Head Penny Worth
- 1859 Indian Head Penny Uncirculated
- 1859 Indian Head Penny Worth Today
- 1859 Indian Head Penny Proof
- 1859 Indian Head Penny No Shield
The Indian Head Cent was struck in two metal compositions. From 1859 to mid 1864, the cent was struck in a metal composition consisting of 88% copper and 12% nickel, weighing 4.67 grams, or 72 grains. This metal proved to be too hard to strike, and in 1864 the composition was changed to a bronze alloy. This consisted of 95% copper and 5% zinc and tin. The bronze cents weigh 3.11 grams, or 48 grains.
.jpg/475px-NNC-US-1859-1C-Indian_Head_Cent_(wreath).jpg "1859 Indian Head Penny")
- The Indian Head penny would be struck for 50 years and is the design that immediately preceded the Lincoln penny, which would first enter circulation in the summer of 1909. 1859 Indian Head pennies are widely collected both by date for inclusion as a part of the entire series and as a type coins representing the copper-nickel Indian Head pennies, which were made from 1859.
- In 1859, when Indian Head cents were first made, they were composed of 88 percent copper and 12 percent nickel. In 1864, the U.S. Mint stopped using nickel in the production of Indian Head pennies and changed to a bronze composition, consisting of 95 percent copper and 5 percent tin and zinc.
Indian Cents (1859-1909): The Indian Head Cents started in 1859. The coin represents Liberty wearing an Indian headdress, not an actual Indian. 1859 represents a one year type coin with a different wreath on the reverse. Major key dates are the 1877 and 1909-S. Semi key dates include the 1864-L, 1869-1872 and 1908-S. 1859-64 indian head cent copper-nickel There was nothing penny-ante about the one cent piece in the mid-19th century: Its buying power was substantial. The famed King Ranch in Texas, for example, came into being in 1853 when steamboat captain Richard King bought 15,500 acres for just $300, less than two cents per acre. Indian Head Penny / Cent (1859-1909) The Indian Head Penny also sometimes referred to as the Indian Head Cent by collectors is a copper coin that preceded the Wheat Penny and Lincoln Penny.
Both compositions have a diameter of 19 millimeters, and all have a plain edge. The final two years were also produced at the San Francisco Mint, and the “S” mintmark is found on the reverse, under the wreath.
Copper Indian Head Cent
1900 Indian Head Penny
Dates: 1859-1864
Mint Mark: none
Composition: 88% copper, 12% nickel
Weight: 4.67 grams
Diameter: 19 mm
Edge: plain
Designer: James B. Longacre
Bronze Indian Head Cent
Dates: 1864-1909
Mint Mark: none (Philadelphia), S (San Francisco)
Composition: 95% copper, 5% tin and zinc
Weight: 3.11 grams
Diameter: 19 mm
Edge: plain
Designer: James B. Longacre
The Indian Head Penny is a one cent coin that was produced by the United States Mint from 1859 through 1909.
On the front of the coin, Liberty is depicted as a Native American wearing a feather head dress with the word 'LIBERTY' on it.
The words 'UNITED STATES OF AMERICA', and the date also appear on the front of the Indian Head Cent.
For the first year, the reverse had the words 'ONE CENT' inside a laurel wreath.
In 1860 this was changed to an oak wreath with a small shield.
The Indian Head Pennies were made up of 88% copper and 12% nickel from 1859 to 1864. Then in 1864 they began making them of bronze which is 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc. The weight of the coins was also reduced.
The early Indian Head Cents also went by the nickname 'Nick' or nickel. This was before there was such a thing as the nickel 5 cent coin we know today. They were given that name because of the nickel they contained.
The Indian Head Pennies lost their nickname in 1866 when five cent nickel coins were produced.
It has been rumored that the model for the Indian likeness was the daughter of James Barton Longacre who designed the Indian Head Penny, but it has not been proven.
In 1908 the Indian Head Penny was produced at the San Francisco Mint. This was the first time that one cent coins were minted anywhere but the Philadelphia Mint.
The Indian Pennies produced at the San Francisco mint have the 'S' mint mark. The coins minted in Philadelphia, however, do not have any identifying mint marks. An Indian Head Penny with and 'S' mint mark is somewhat scarce, hence they are more valuable than other Indian Head Cents.
The Denver Mint did not see one cent coin production until 1911.
There are Three Varieties of Indian Head Pennies
Variety 1 - Copper-Nickel, Laurel Wreath Reverse 1859
| Type | Variety 1 - Copper-Nickel, Laurel Wreath Reverse |
| Designer | James B. Longacre |
| Years Minted | 1859 Only |
| Weight | 4.67 grams |
| Composition | 88% copper, 12% nickel |
| Diameter | approx. 19 mm |
| Edge | plain |
| Mintage | 36,400,000 |
1859 Indian Head Penny Worth
1859 Indian Head Penny Uncirculated
Variety 2 - Copper-Nickel, Oak Wreath With Shield 1860-1864
| Type | Variety 2 - Copper-Nickel, Oak Wreath With Shield |
| Designer | James B. Longacre |
| Years Minted | 1860-1864 |
| Weight | 4.67 grams |
| Composition | 88% copper, 12% nickel |
| Diameter | approx. 19 mm |
| Edge | plain |
| Mintage | 1860 - 20,566,000 1861 - 10,100,000 1862 - 28,075,000 1863 - 49,840,000 1864 - 13,740,000 |
1859 Indian Head Penny Worth Today
Variety 3 - Bronze 1864-1909
1859 Indian Head Penny Proof
During the Civil War, almost all gold and silver coins disappeared from circulation. Eventually the copper-nickel coins also became scarce. Merchants in larger cities began to issue their own copper tokens so that they would have change for their customers. The government stepped in in 1864 and began issuing its own thin bronze one cent coin. They also made the merchant's tokens illegal.
| Type | Variety 3 - Bronze |
| Designer | James B. Longacre |
| Years Minted | 1864-1909 |
| Weight | 3.11 grams |
| Composition | 95% copper, 5% tin and zinc |
| Diameter | approx. 19 mm |
| Edge | plain |
| Mints | Philadelphia - no mint mark San Francisco - S |
| Mintage | PhiladelphiaSan Francisco - S 1864 - 39,233,714 1908S - 1,115,000 1865 - 35,429,286 1909S - 309,000 1866 - 9,826,500 1867 - 9,821,000 1868 - 10,266,500 1869 - 6,420,000 1870 - 5,275,000 1871 - 3,929,500 1872 - 4,042,000 1873 - 11,676,500 1874 - 14,187,500 1875 - 13,528,000 1876 - 7,944,000 1877 - 852,500 1878 - 5,797,500 1879 - 16,228,000 1880 - 38,961,000 1881 - 39,208,000 1882 - 38,578,000 1883 - 45,591,500 1884 - 23,257,800 1885 - 11,761,594 1886 - 17,650,000 1887 - 45,223,523 1888 - 37,489,832 1889 - 48,866,025 1890 - 57,180,114 1891 - 47,070,000 1892 - 37,647,087 1893 - 46,640,000 1894 - 16,749,500 1895 - 38,341,574 1896 - 39,055,431 1897 - 50,464,392 1898 - 48,821,284 1899 - 53,598,000 1900 - 66,831,502 1901 - 79,609,158 1902 - 87,374,704 1903 - 85,092,703 1904 - 61,326,198 1905 - 80,717,011 1906 - 96,020,530 1907 - 108,137,143 1908 - 32,326,367 1909 - 14,368,470 |
1859 Indian Head Penny No Shield
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