Indian Head Cents 1859-1909

About This Series

For half a century, James B. Longacre's portrait of Liberty wearing a Native American feathered headdress defined the American cent, becoming one of the most recognizable and beloved designs in U.S. coinage history. The series underwent a pivotal compositional transition in 1864, shifting from copper-nickel (which proved difficult to strike and hard on dies) to a thinner bronze planchet that would remain the cent standard for over a century. The 1877 stands as the undisputed key date with just 852,500 struck during an economic depression, while the 1909-S — the only San Francisco Mint issue — commands strong premiums as the series' final-year rarity. Notable varieties include the 1869/9 and 1873 doubled LIBERTY overdates, and the scarce 1864 L-on-ribbon variety marking Longacre's initial on the design. Struck at 19mm diameter across 51 years of production, Indian Head cents circulated through the Civil War, Reconstruction, the Gilded Age, and into the Progressive Era. The series was supplanted by Victor David Brenner's Lincoln cent in 1909, ending Longacre's legacy design. Collectors can pursue the series by date, mintmark, and the extensive Snow die variety catalog, making Indian Heads one of the most versatile and rewarding denomination series in American numismatics.

Series Information