1859 Indian Head Cent (Laurel Wreath)

The 1859 Indian Head Cent introduced James B. Longacre's new design featuring a Native American-style headdress on Liberty, replacing the short-lived Flying Eagle design after just two years of production. It is notable for using a laurel wreath reverse found on no other date in the entire 50-year Indian Head series.

Because the laurel wreath reverse was used for only this single year before being replaced, the 1859 issue functions almost as a one-year subtype within the broader Indian Head series, giving it added appeal for type collectors beyond its simple first-year status.

After striking issues plagued the Flying Eagle cent's design, the Mint commissioned Chief Engraver James B. Longacre to create a new small cent design for 1859. Longacre adapted a Liberty head wearing a Native American feathered headdress, a design element supposedly inspired by an actual headdress in his studio, paired with a simple laurel wreath on the reverse.

The 1859 cent retained the same copper-nickel alloy used for Flying Eagle cents, giving it the same pale color and weight as its predecessor. After just one year, the Mint modified the reverse to add a shield above a heavier oak wreath starting in 1860, a change generally attributed to a desire for a more substantial-looking design, leaving the 1859 laurel wreath reverse unique to that single year.

The obverse shows Liberty in a feathered headdress with 'LIBERTY' on the headband and the date below, a design that would continue with only minor changes through 1909. The reverse is the key identifying feature for this date: a laurel wreath encircling 'ONE CENT' with no shield above it, distinct from every other year in the series.

The coin's copper-nickel composition gives it a pale, yellowish-gray color rather than the warmer copper tone of post-1864 issues, and it has the same thickness and weight as the Flying Eagle cent it replaced. All 1859 Indian Head cents were struck at the Philadelphia mint with no mintmark.

Because the laurel wreath reverse appears on no other date, correctly identifying this feature instantly confirms a coin as an 1859 issue, useful for collectors sorting through mixed lots of early Indian Head cents.

As a one-year design and the first Indian Head cent, 1859 carries strong type-collector demand and is priced above typical common dates in the copper-nickel Indian Head run, though it remains obtainable in circulated grades for most collectors. High-grade, well-struck examples with strong luster are considerably scarcer and command a significant premium.

Because the alloy can tone unevenly or show spotting over time, well-preserved coins with original, attractive surfaces are especially prized by specialists assembling a complete date-and-type set of early Indian Head cents.