The original design chosen by the US Mint Director at the time, James Ross Snowden, was a laurel wreath. On the reverse is an oak wreath with a small shield above. Some people initially thought the mystery woman was James Longacre's daughter wearing an Native American headdress. The obverse appears to show an Native American, however it is actually the image of Lady Liberty wearing an Indian headdress. Indian Head Penny Values At A GlanceĪs large cent coins were being phased out by the Flying Eagle Cent and now the Indian Cent, the copper coins produced by the United States mint were much smaller and lighter in color than the previous large cents. The bronze colored coins are made from a metal composition of 95% Copper and 5% Tin & Zinc. None of the copper coins minted in San Francisco made it into the top 10. These coins were designed by the engraver James Barton Longacre and they all weigh approximately 3.11 grams and are 19mm in diameter.Īll of the rare Indian Head cents were minted in Philadelphia and have no mint mark. They all sold at auction to coin collectors for record prices. These US one cent pieces from the dates 1859-1909 are known as Indian Head pennies and succeeded the earlier Flying Eagle penny.

And How Much They’re Worth Today (Most Are Worth $500+)ĭid you know that the top 10 most valuable and rare Indian Head pennies all add up to a value of around $1,500,000? Errors in the shapes and spacing of numbers are also flaws to look out for, as well as incomplete letters, partial collars, off-center broadstrikes, and indented strikes.Lots Of Rare Pennies.

The 'Die Shift' error is doubling that occurs during striking, and it appears on 19 5-cent coins. An example is the 'Harp,' which only appears on the 1962 Canadian 1 cent and consists of five lines of different lengths that start under the '1,' extending to the maple leaf. What Are Some of the Errors That Increase the Value of Canadian Coins?Įrrors, especially rare design flaws, can boost a coin's value. Don't use dips to remove tarnish, as that may also remove some of the coin's mint luster and thereby decrease the value. You can remove loose dirt, dust, and grime by gently washing Canadian coins with soap and water and then patting them dry. Cleaning coins can leave small scratches that show up under magnification and lower the value.

It is inadvisable to forcefully clean dirty Canadian coins, as you may damage them in the process. Grade 70 represents a perfect coin, but this high of a rating isn't often awarded. When grading coins, the lower the number the worse the condition, which makes a coin with a score of 4 an undesirable selection for many collectors.

Professionals use a numerical scale that ranges from 1 to 70, with 'Good' coins rating at 4, 'Fine' coins rating at 12, and 'Mint Condition' coins rating at 56. What Is the Numerical Grading System for Canadian Coins?Ĭanadian coins receive grades based on condition, which greatly affects the price and worth.

Ebay coins indian head pennies