1908 Indian Head Penny

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The Indian Head Penny is a one cent coin that was produced by the United States Mint from 1859 through 1909.

Heritage Auction Galleries. In 1859, when Indian Head cents were first made, they were composed of 88 percent copper and 12 percent nickel. In 1864, the U.S. Mint stopped using nickel in the production of Indian Head pennies and changed to a bronze composition, consisting of 95 percent copper and 5 percent tin and zinc. In 1857 a small cent coin was introduced that featured a flying eagle on the obverse. Production problems limited the coin to only two years. The Indian Head penny was introduced in 1859 with a composition of 88 percent copper and 12 percent nickel and a diameter of 19 mm and a weight of 4.67 grams.

1908-S Indian Head Cent In 1908, the production of cents began at the San Francisco Mint. This represented the first time in history that a minor coin of the United States had been struck outside of Philadelphia. This had become possible due to a change in law, which allowed non-silver or non-gold coins to be produced at branch mints.
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Mint has struck more 2009 Lincoln Cents in the first six months 2009, than the entire last decade of the Indian Cents together! The obverse features Lady Liberty wearing a feathered headdress, while the reverse shows a laurel oak wreath with a small shield. This is the 1908 Indian Head Cent in Circulated Condition.

On the front of the coin, Liberty is depicted as a Native American wearing a feather head dress with the word 'LIBERTY' on it.

The words 'UNITED STATES OF AMERICA', and the date also appear on the front of the Indian Head Cent.

For the first year, the reverse had the words 'ONE CENT' inside a laurel wreath.

In 1860 this was changed to an oak wreath with a small shield.

The Indian Head Pennies were made up of 88% copper and 12% nickel from 1859 to 1864. Then in 1864 they began making them of bronze which is 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc. The weight of the coins was also reduced.

The early Indian Head Cents also went by the nickname 'Nick' or nickel. This was before there was such a thing as the nickel 5 cent coin we know today. They were given that name because of the nickel they contained.

The Indian Head Pennies lost their nickname in 1866 when five cent nickel coins were produced.

It has been rumored that the model for the Indian likeness was the daughter of James Barton Longacre who designed the Indian Head Penny, but it has not been proven.

In 1908 the Indian Head Penny was produced at the San Francisco Mint. This was the first time that one cent coins were minted anywhere but the Philadelphia Mint.

The Indian Pennies produced at the San Francisco mint have the 'S' mint mark. The coins minted in Philadelphia, however, do not have any identifying mint marks. An Indian Head Penny with and 'S' mint mark is somewhat scarce, hence they are more valuable than other Indian Head Cents.

The Denver Mint did not see one cent coin production until 1911.

There are Three Varieties of Indian Head Pennies

Variety 1 - Copper-Nickel, Laurel Wreath Reverse 1859

Type	Variety 1 - Copper-Nickel, Laurel Wreath Reverse
Designer	James B. Longacre
Years Minted	1859 Only
Weight	4.67 grams
Composition	88% copper, 12% nickel
Diameter	approx. 19 mm
Edge	plain
Mintage	36,400,000

1902 Indian Head Penny Value

Variety 2 - Copper-Nickel, Oak Wreath With Shield 1860-1864

Type	Variety 2 - Copper-Nickel, Oak Wreath With Shield
Designer	James B. Longacre
Years Minted	1860-1864
Weight	4.67 grams
Composition	88% copper, 12% nickel
Diameter	approx. 19 mm
Edge	plain
Mintage	1860 - 20,566,000 1861 - 10,100,000 1862 - 28,075,000 1863 - 49,840,000 1864 - 13,740,000

Variety 3 - Bronze 1864-1909

During the Civil War, almost all gold and silver coins disappeared from circulation. Eventually the copper-nickel coins also became scarce. Merchants in larger cities began to issue their own copper tokens so that they would have change for their customers. The government stepped in in 1864 and began issuing its own thin bronze one cent coin. They also made the merchant's tokens illegal.

Type	Variety 3 - Bronze
Designer	James B. Longacre
Years Minted	1864-1909
Weight	3.11 grams
Composition	95% copper, 5% tin and zinc
Diameter	approx. 19 mm
Edge	plain
Mints	Philadelphia - *no mint mark* San Francisco - S
Mintage	PhiladelphiaSan Francisco - S 1864 - 39,233,714 1908S - 1,115,000 1865 - 35,429,286 1909S - 309,000 1866 - 9,826,500 1867 - 9,821,000 1868 - 10,266,500 1869 - 6,420,000 1870 - 5,275,000 1871 - 3,929,500 1872 - 4,042,000 1873 - 11,676,500 1874 - 14,187,500 1875 - 13,528,000 1876 - 7,944,000 1877 - 852,500 1878 - 5,797,500 1879 - 16,228,000 1880 - 38,961,000 1881 - 39,208,000 1882 - 38,578,000 1883 - 45,591,500 1884 - 23,257,800 1885 - 11,761,594 1886 - 17,650,000 1887 - 45,223,523 1888 - 37,489,832 1889 - 48,866,025 1890 - 57,180,114 1891 - 47,070,000 1892 - 37,647,087 1893 - 46,640,000 1894 - 16,749,500 1895 - 38,341,574 1896 - 39,055,431 1897 - 50,464,392 1898 - 48,821,284 1899 - 53,598,000 1900 - 66,831,502 1901 - 79,609,158 1902 - 87,374,704 1903 - 85,092,703 1904 - 61,326,198 1905 - 80,717,011 1906 - 96,020,530 1907 - 108,137,143 1908 - 32,326,367 1909 - 14,368,470

Return From Indian Head Penny to US Coins

See Where the Mint Mark is located on US Coins

Bronze Composite Penny

Minted at: Philadelphia (No Mint Mark)

Metal Composition: 95% Copper - 5% Tin and Zinc