Indian Head Cent
Indian Head Cent
The Indian Head Cent came to replace the Flying Eagle Cent just two years after the latter was enacted in law. It was made of the same metal mixture as its predecessor, consisting of 22 parts copper to 3 parts nickel.
The design of the indian head cent consists of a woman in a feathered headdress in profile, facing left. Below her is the year of the coin’s minting, and “United States of America” is stamped around the rim. On the reverse side of the indian head cent is the phrase “One Cent,” surrounded by a thick, leafy wreath held together by a ribbon. Between the two open ends of the wreath is a shield. It is much smaller than earlier coins, being about three to five grams in mass.
Here is some interesting trivia about the indian head cent: the “Indian” face was not actually modeled on a Native American or First Nation woman. Rather, James Longacre, the coin’s designer, based her appearance on his daughter.
Early in its life, the Indian Head Cent was to go through some remarkable changes. Once the Civil War started, people began to hoard “real” coins, while private buying and selling was done with Civil War tokens, many of which were made of bronze. This particular type of bronze was mostly made of copper, with small amounts of tin and zinc. At this point, the national minting authorities realized that the legal value of a coin was considered more important than the value of the metal in it, which was why a bronze version of the Indian Head Cent began to be used in 1864, until it was replaced in 1909.
Indian Head Cent Fair Market Values in U.S. Dollars (1859-1909)
| Date/Type | G4 | VG8 | F12 | VF20 | XF40 | AU50 | AU53 | AU55 | AU58 | MS60 | PR60 (Proof) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copper Nickel | |||||||||||
| 1859 | $13 | $15 | $20 | $47 | $100 | $156 | $168 | $180 | $222 | $240 | $570 |
| 1860 | $10 | $13 | $20 | $31 | $59 | $89 | $92 | $104 | $138 | $162 | $420 |
| 1861 | $17 | $25 | $38 | $54 | $90 | $156 | $162 | $174 | $180 | $192 | $450 |
| 1862 | $8 | $9 | $11 | $16 | $28 | $60 | $62 | $72 | $86 | $92 | $420 |
| 1863 | $8 | $9 | $11 | $16 | $26 | $58 | $62 | $68 | $78 | $91 | $450 |
| 1864 CN | $14 | $20 | $30 | $47 | $68 | $84 | $91 | $103 | $126 | $144 | $420 |
| Bronze | |||||||||||
| 1864 Bronze BN | $8 | $13 | $22 | $38 | $59 | $70 | $72 | $76 | $80 | $91 | $480 |
| 1864 RB | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | $108 | -- |
| 1864 L BN | $52 | $69 | $124 | $186 | $264 | $312 | $318 | $324 | $336 | $372 | $12,000 |
| 1864 L RB | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | $390 | -- |
| 1865 BN | $7 | $12 | $17 | $22 | $36 | $52 | $55 | $60 | $68 | $80 | $210 |
| 1865 RB | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | $88 | -- |
| 1866 BN | $41 | $49 | $67 | $102 | $180 | $198 | $216 | $228 | $252 | $264 | $230 |
| 1866 RB | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | $276 | -- |
| 1867 BN | $44 | $58 | $82 | $105 | $180 | $210 | $216 | $222 | $234 | $252 | $220 |
| 1867 RB | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | $264 | -- |
| 1868 BN | $33 | $44 | $60 | $98 | $162 | $204 | $210 | $215 | $240 | $246 | $210 |
| 1868 RB | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | $258 | -- |
| 1869 BN | $75 | $105 | $224 | $300 | $420 | $450 | $468 | $516 | $534 | $552 | -- |
| 1869 RB | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | $570 | -- |
| *1869/9 BN | $127 | $201 | $391 | $540 | $730 | $750 | $780 | $820 | $860 | $880 | -- |
| 1869/9 RB | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | $900 | -- |
| 1870 BN | $51 | $86 | $196 | $270 | $372 | $414 | $438 | $480 | $516 | $528 | -- |
| 1870 RB | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | $540 | -- |
| 1871 BN | $75 | $102 | $242 | $270 | $390 | $420 | $444 | $468 | $516 | $540 | -- |
| 1871 RB | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | $564 | -- |
| 1872 BN | $92 | $173 | $330 | $420 | $528 | $640 | $650 | $680 | $720 | $740 | -- |
| 1872 RB | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | $760 | -- |
| 1873 BN | $20 | $29 | $53 | $74 | $144 | $180 | $186 | $198 | $216 | $228 | -- |
| 1873 RB | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | $240 | -- |
| 1873 Cl 3 BN | $23 | $31 | $61 | $87 | $180 | $240 | $270 | $300 | $330 | $360 | -- |
| *1873 Dbl Lib BN | $305 | $870 | $1,290 | $2,470 | $3,510 | $5,070 | $5,280 | $5,850 | $7,690 | $8,310 | -- |
| 1873 Dbl Lib RB | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | $11,060 | $13,130 | -- |
| 1874 BN | $14 | $21 | $37 | $54 | $102 | $126 | $138 | $150 | $162 | $174 | $161 |
| 1874 RB | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | $186 | -- |
| 1875 BN | $15 | $29 | $49 | $66 | $112 | $128 | $138 | $144 | $156 | $180 | -- |
| 1875 RB | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | $192 | -- |
| 1876 BN | $29 | $35 | $63 | $108 | $204 | $240 | $252 | $264 | $276 | $288 | $2,440 |
| 1876 RB | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | $300 | -- |
| *1877 BN | $900 | $1,090 | $1,500 | $2,010 | $2,730 | $3,000 | $3,330 | $3,390 | $3,510 | $3,600 | -- |
| 1877 RB | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | $3,450 | $3,600 | $3,720 | -- |
| 1878 BN | $28 | $35 | $60 | $110 | $204 | $222 | $240 | $252 | $270 | $294 | -- |
| 1879 BN | $6 | $9 | $15 | $29 | $66 | $70 | $72 | $77 | $80 | $84 | -- |
| 1880 BN | $3 | $5 | $7 | $9 | $26 | $43 | $47 | $50 | $58 | $62 | $132 |
| 1881 BN | $3 | $4 | $6 | $8 | $17 | $28 | $30 | $37 | $42 | $49 | -- |
| 1882 BN | $3 | $4 | $6 | $8 | $17 | $28 | $30 | $32 | $36 | $43 | -- |
| 1883 BN | $3 | $4 | $6 | $7 | $16 | $28 | $30 | $34 | $38 | $43 | -- |
| 1884 BN | $3 | $4 | $6 | $11 | $26 | $40 | $46 | $52 | $58 | $68 | -- |
| 1885 BN | $5 | $7 | $13 | $20 | $58 | $74 | $78 | $82 | $86 | $96 | -- |
| 1886 TI BN | $6 | $9 | $22 | $52 | $127 | $150 | $162 | $174 | $186 | $198 | -- |
| 1886 TI RB | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | $210 | -- |
| 1886 TII BN | $8 | $12 | $32 | $77 | $161 | $198 | $216 | $228 | $240 | $264 | -- |
| 1887 BN | $3 | $4 | $6 | $7 | $17 | $26 | $30 | $34 | $48 | $50 | -- |
| 1888 BN | $1 | $2 | $6 | $7 | $21 | $29 | $31 | $34 | $38 | $54 | -- |
| **1888/7 BN | $2,340 | $2,850 | $5,820 | $8,400 | $13,500 | $16,800 | $17,400 | $19,500 | $21,880 | $26,250 | -- |
| 1889 BN | $1 | $2 | $3 | $5 | $10 | $24 | $26 | $28 | $31 | $40 | $104 |
| 1889 RB | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | $115 |
| 1890 BN | $1 | $2 | $3 | $5 | $12 | $22 | $25 | $31 | $34 | $41 | $100 |
| 1891 BN | $1 | $2 | $3 | $5 | $12 | $22 | $25 | $28 | $30 | $41 | -- |
| 1892 BN | $1 | $2 | $3 | $5 | $17 | $24 | $26 | $29 | $31 | $38 | -- |
| 1892 RB | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | $42 | -- |
| 1893 BN | $1 | $2 | $4 | $5 | $10 | $22 | $23 | $25 | $28 | $36 | -- |
| 1894 BN | $3 | $5 | $9 | $17 | $44 | $58 | $60 | $62 | $67 | $71 | -- |
| 1895 BN | $1 | $2 | $3 | $5 | $11 | $25 | $26 | $29 | $31 | $36 | -- |
| 1896 BN | $1 | $2 | $3 | $5 | $14 | $24 | $26 | $29 | $31 | $37 | -- |
| 1897 BN | $1 | $2 | $3 | $4 | $8 | $23 | $24 | $25 | $26 | $34 | $98 |
| 1898 BN | $1 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $8 | $22 | $23 | $25 | $29 | $37 | -- |
| 1899 BN | $1 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $10 | $22 | $23 | $25 | $28 | $32 | -- |
| 1899 RB | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | $40 | -- |
| 1900 BN | $1 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $12 | $24 | $26 | $28 | $30 | $34 | -- |
| 1901 BN | $1 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $8 | $18 | $19 | $20 | $23 | $26 | -- |
| 1901 RB | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | $28 | -- |
| 1902 BN | $1 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $9 | $20 | $22 | $23 | $25 | $28 | -- |
| 1902 RB | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | $30 | -- |
| 1903 BN | $1 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $9 | $20 | $22 | $23 | $24 | $26 | -- |
| 1903 RB | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | $29 | -- |
| 1904 BN | $1 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $9 | $20 | $22 | $23 | $25 | $28 | -- |
| 1904 RB | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | $30 | -- |
| 1905 BN | $1 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $7 | $18 | $19 | $20 | $22 | $25 | -- |
| 1905 RB | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | $28 | -- |
| 1906 BN | $1 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $7 | $18 | $19 | $20 | $22 | $25 | $75 |
| 1906 RB | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | $28 | -- |
| 1907 BN | $1 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $7 | $18 | $19 | $20 | $22 | $25 | $72 |
| 1907 RB | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | $28 | $81 |
| 1908 BN | $1 | $2 | $2 | $3 | $7 | $18 | $19 | $20 | $22 | $25 | -- |
| 1908 RB | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | $28 | -- |
| 1908 S BN | $66 | $75 | $89 | $106 | $150 | $174 | $180 | $192 | $228 | $252 | -- |
| 1908 S RB | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | $264 | -- |
| 1909 BN | $8 | $10 | $12 | $13 | $17 | $28 | $29 | $30 | $35 | $37 | -- |
| *1909 S BN | $529 | $580 | $650 | $740 | $820 | $860 | $880 | $910 | $940 | $960 | -- |
Indian Head Cent Coins on eBay
1909 INDIAN HEAD CENT Nice Brown with a hint of Original Red Mark free
12 Bids
US $34.50
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