In rare cases where the collector needs only one coin to complete the series, the 1898 Indian head penny can actually cost a small fortune. However, only a few remained in perfect condition, and dedicated numismatists are ready to search for years for a well-preserved penny and to pay it dearly. 1898 Indian head pennyīy the end of the year, this penny mintage came close to 50 million coins. Plus, the US Congress declared war on Spain on April 25, 1898. The Civil war ended more than 30 years ago, and society and the economy were recovering.

Since people were using them daily, there were not many coins in a mint state.ġ898 Indian head penny is not rare thanks to the historic moment. It contained 88% copper and 12% nickel until the Philadelphia mint changed its composition to 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc. The average mintage for the Indian head pennies was 34,252,575 a year. The San Francisco mint also made Indian head pennies, but only in the last two years of the series, 19. The Philadelphia mint produced Indian head pennies from 1859 to 1909, when it began to mint new Lincoln pennies. coin to bear the words IN GOD WE TRUST.The first Indian head penny was minted in 1859 to replace the Flying eagle pennies that had design problems. Longacre also designed the two-cent piece, which in 1864 became the first U.S. In addition to the Indian Head penny, James B. In fact, on the obverse is a Caucasian figure of Miss Liberty, modeled after Longacre’s daughter. An interesting side note about these coins is that these pennies don’t actually feature an “Indian” at all. Longacre, who served as Chief Engraver of the United States Mint from 1844 until his death in 1869, designed 1905 Indian Head pennies.

The business strikes in a grade of Good-4 sell for $2 each while the proof specimens sell for $1,275 in choice condition. 1905 cents are also often bought by non-numismatists who simply want an inexpensive example of this classic American coin.ġ905 Indian Head cents were struck in substantial numbers – 80,717,011 pieces were made for circulation, and an additional 2,152 proofs made for coin collectors.

Some coin collectors buy 1905 pennies for type sets as well as to complete series collections of Indian Head pennies. 1905 cents are also widely available at most coin shops that deal in 19th- and 20th-century U.S. 1905 Indian Head cents are common coins that are often found in mixed-date rolls and bags of old copper pennies.

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