Description

The Indian Head cent, also known as an Indian Head penny, replaced the Flying Eagle Cent in 1859. It was designed by James Barton Longacre, the Chief Engraver at the Philadelphia Mint. 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. The planchets were thick and the color was much lighter than the dark copper of Large Cents. In 1864, partly in response to the privately issued Civil War tokens, the weight of the Indian cent was reduced and the metal composition reverted to bronze, a nearly pure copper alloy. In 1909, the Indian Head cent was replaced by the Lincoln cent, designed by Victor D. Brenner.

Minted for over 50 years, Indian Head cents are widely considered the most beautiful copper coins in American history. These historic cents were the nation's first coinage tribute to the noble, proud American Indian. The design represented the first time that official United States Mint coins featured a distinctly American motif.