Own This Indian Head Cent – Produced More than a Century Ago
This Indian Head penny was minted more than a century ago and is still a favorite American coin among collectors. It was produced between 1859 and 1909, and it was one of the few coins to be used throughout the Civil War. Few coins are as rich in American history as the Indian Head penny.
In 1858... more
Own This Indian Head Cent – Produced More than a Century Ago
This Indian Head penny was minted more than a century ago and is still a favorite American coin among collectors. It was produced between 1859 and 1909, and it was one of the few coins to be used throughout the Civil War. Few coins are as rich in American history as the Indian Head penny.
In 1858, the Indian Head design replaced the Flying Eagle cent that was minted for only one year. It had proven to be difficult to produce satisfactorily. James Ross Snowden was given a number of possible designs for the new coin and chose the Indian Head, with a laurel wreath on the reverse.
The new design was the work of US Mint engraver James Longacre. Though known as the Indian Head Penny, he depicted the goddess Liberty. This female is wearing a feather headdress, which was only worn by Native American men. In spite of this historical inaccuracy, the coin proved popular with Americans.
The reverse side of the coin featured a wreath of laurel leaves. In 1860, it was changed to an oak leaf wreath with a shield at the top.
Production on the new penny began in early 1859. Two years later, there was a surplus of pennies in circulation. After the Civil War began, Americans began hoarding their silver coins, leaving only the penny being circulated widely. In 1864, the US Mint was running out of nickel to make new pennies. The Mint director at the time, James Pollock, recommended using French bronze (made of 95% copper) to produce new pennies.
The Coinage Act of 1864 was passed in April and made it possible to make one-cent and two-cent coins out of base metals. The mint began producing the new pennies just three weeks later. The public immediately began using the new coins. When the Civil War ended, the Indian Head penny continued to be minted until 1909, During the final two years, the penny was produced at the San Francisco Mint, in addition to the Philadelphia Mint, which had produced the coins from the start. The Indian Head penny was replaced with the Lincoln penny.
Year Issued:1908
Face Value: $0.01
Mintage: 32,327,987
Now you can own this 1908 Indian Head penny that has survived for over a century. This is your chance to add this piece of American history to your collection. Order yours today.
Less 
