INDEX
About This Series
James B. Longacre designed the Indian Head cent, and the story that he used his daughter as the model for Liberty wearing a war bonnet has circulated for generations - most historians doubt it. The coin ran from 1859 to 1909, first in copper-nickel, then in bronze from 1864. The 1877 is the key date, with a mintage under 900,000 and very few surviving in decent condition. The 1908-S and 1909-S were the first branch-mint cents in the series, produced shortly before the Lincoln cent arrived. Both are popular and still affordable compared to the 1877.
Specifications
Copper-nickel, 1859–1864
- Composition
- 88% Copper, 12% Nickel (no silver)
- Fineness
- 0.0%
- Weight
- 4.67 g
- Diameter
- 19.0 mm
- Metal content
- 0.0000 oz
- Years Produced
- 1859–1909
Metal content and melt value by era
| Era | Years | Weight | Fineness | Metal content | Melt value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copper-nickel | 1859–1864 | 4.67 g | 0.0% | No precious metal | No melt value |
| Bronze | 1864–1909 | 3.11 g | 0.0% | No precious metal | No melt value |