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Indian Head Penny

1882 Indian Head Cent
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1882 Indian Head Cent

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

(click image for larger view)
1859 Type 1
Indian Head Penny
1859 Indian Head Cent
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



Variety 2 - Copper-Nickel, Oak Wreath With Shield 1860-1864

(click image for larger view)
1860-1864 Type 2
Indian Head Cent
1860 Indian Head Penny
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



Variety 3 - Bronze 1864-1909

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.

(click image for larger view)
1864-1909 Type 3
Indian Head Cent
1894 Indian head penny
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 Philadelphia                San 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


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