Indian Head 1864-1909, Bronze
Description
During the Civil War, coins of all types were hoarded, including copper-nickel cents. In their place appeared thousands of different varieties of privately issued cent-size tokens struck in bronze. The public readily accepted these. The situation did not go unnoticed at the Mint, and soon a proposal was made to drop the copper-nickel metal introduced into the coinage system in 1859. Bronze was easier to strike as its hardness was substantially less than the copper-nickel alloy of the previous period. The 1864 Cent was the first Bronze Cent produced.
Apart from the metallic composition, the format remained the same as used earlier. Later in 1864, a tiny L, the initial of Longacre, was added inconspicuously on the obverse. The position of the last feather of the headdress in relation to the last several letters of AMERICA was changed in 1886.
Although there are a number of scarce varieties within the 1864-1909 span, including 1864 with L on ribbon, 1871, 1872, 1877 (in particular), and 1909-S, there are enough common dates that obtaining a specimen in any desired condition presents no problem. Examples are easily available in grades from Good through Uncirculated, although pristine, superb Uncirculated pieces are becoming increasingly scarce.
Valuation
- COIN NAME
- Indian Head 1864-1909, Bronze
- DESIGNED BY
- James B. Longacre
- ISSUE DATE
- 1864-1909, bronze
- COMPOSITION
- Bronze (95% copper, 5% tin and zinc)
- DIAMETER
- 19 mm.
- WEIGHT
- 48 grains
- EDGE
- Plain
- BUS MINT
- 1,690,839,942
- PROOF MINT
- 98,000 (estimated)
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