Indian Penny
Indian Head Penny Overview
Although not as well known as the Lincoln cent, the Indian Head cent is an iconic coin that is sought after by both new and seasoned collectors. This is because of their relatively low cost and general scarcity.
Ron Guth: Indian Head Cents replaced the Flying Eagle Cent in 1859. The obverse depiction of a putative American Indian is actually a head of Liberty with an Indian chief's headdress. In 1860, the wreath was altered and a small shield was added to the top of the reverse. From 1859-1864, the cents were made of a mixture of copper-nickel. 1859 – 1909 The Indian Head Cent was designed by James Barton Longacre and minted from 1859 through 1909. They were produced at the Philadelphia Mint for the duration and by the San Francisco Mint in 1908 and 1909. The obverse of this coin features Lady Liberty wearing a feathered bonnet. Though this coin is commonly. 1900 thru 1909 Various Indian Head Pennies 5 Different Dates - in Gift Bag Indian Head Good and Better. 4.1 out of 5 stars 7. Only 3 left in stock - order soon. Unsearched Wheat Penny Shot Gun Roll w/ Indian Head Cent Ends Old Us Coin Shotgun Lot. 1859 Shield Reverse 1C Indian Cent J-228 PCGS MS64 (PHOTO SEAL) $2,400.00. 1867/67 1C Snow-1 Indian Cent PCGS MS64RB (PHOTO SEAL) $8,000.00. 1870 1C Multiple Digits in Denticles. Snow-8 Indian Cent PCGS MS64RB (CAC/PHOTO SEAL) $5,500.00. The Indian Head one-cent coin is a legal tender penny produced by the U.S. Mint in the second half of the 19th Century through the early part of the 20th Century. Due to economic factors and changing standards, different editions of the coin have different material compositions, thus making certain versions more.
First minted in 1859 to replace the larger Flying Eagle cent, the Indian Head cent experienced a 50 year production period that saw the use of two different compositions. The entire coin was designed in 1859 by US Mint engraver James B. Longacre.
On the Obverse, the coin features a rendition of Liberty facing left, wearing a traditional Indian headdress. The words “United States” are found to the left of Lady Liberty’s bust and “Of America” is found to the right. The date can be found centered directly below the bust of Liberty.
Longacre’s design for the reverse of the Indian Head penny is very simplistic, with the motto “One Cent” encircled by a wreath. A group of arrows can be found at the bottom of the wreath and small shield at the top.
Over the 50 years of production, the Indian Head penny has only gone through one major composition change. The first year of production in 1859 saw the coin minted in a bronze alloy. The next year the mint changed to a copper nickel composition that lasted until mid-1864.
The remaining Indian Head Pennies minted from mid-1864 till 1909 returned to the bronze alloy composition.
History of the 1907 Indian Head Penny
At the turn of the century, Indian Head Pennies were being minted in larger and larger quantities to help meet consumer demand.
The 1907 Indian Head penny, in particular, had one of the highest mintages in the series, with 108 million minted. Compared to the 1859 Indian Head Penny that had only 36 million pieces minted, the 1907 Indian Head Penny is relatively common.
Like other Indian Head Pennies minted between mid-1864 and 1909, 1907 weighs 3.11 grams and is 19.05mm in diameter. Denticles (Small dots found on the surface of the coin, near the rim) are present on both the obverse and reverse.
Grading the 1907 and Other Indian Head Pennies
Like all other coins, the 1907 Indian Head Penny’s value directly depends on the condition of the coin. Since the 1907 coin is a relatively common one, there are many examples that can be found in a higher grade.
Grading is based on the 70 point Sheldon Scale, where 70 is a perfect coin and 1 describes a severely damaged/worn coin. Here are some basic rules to help you determine the grade of your 1907 Indian Head Penny.
Indian Penny 1863
Good 4 - Extensive wear can be seen on the surfaces of the coin. The date is readable, and the bust of Liberty is worn, but is clearly separate from the surface of the coin. Most details of Liberty’s head band and face have been worn away. Although worn, the coin lacks any deformities or scratches.
Fine 12 - Wear is still evident across the entirety of the coin, but more details can be seen, mainly on Liberty. The word “Liberty” is full but faint on Liberty’s head band. Other details like Liberty’s hair and cheek are more defined.
Extra Fine 45 - Only a slight amount of wear across Liberty on the obverse and the wreath on the reverse. “Liberty” is full and the lines in the feathers of the head dress are sharp.
Uncirculated or Mint State 60 - Zero wear evident with strong red luster or slight brown toning. All details full and sharp, particularly the diamonds in Liberty’s head band.
Indian Penny 1864
Value of the 1907 Indian Head Penny
Indian Pennywise Movie
Because of the large number minted, the 1907 Indian Head Penny is extremely affordable due to significant numbers of coins remaining.
Indian Pennywise
Most 1907 Indian Head Pennies are in Good 4 condition because of their popularity and heavy use in circulation. The average price for a 1907 Indian Head Penny in Good 4 condition is about $1.
In higher grades such as Extra Fine, the value of the 1907 Indian Head Penny increases slightly, with prices hovering around $7.
The most expensive 1907 Indian Head Pennies are those that are still in Uncirculated condition. With prices for ungraded Uncirculated examples at $28 and Uncirculated pieces graded by a third party starting at $100.
Indian Penny Collection
1907 Indian Head Pennies in exceptional condition and that are graded MS-63 by a third party grading company can command prices above $200. Only 50 examples of the 1907 Indian Head Penny have been graded at MS-63 or higher by third party grader PCGS.