How to Identify the Indian Head Cent
An overview of the Indian Head cent's Liberty-in-headdress obverse, wreath reverse, bronze composition, and the visual clues used to tell copper-nickel issues from later bronze ones.
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What It Is
The Indian Head cent was struck from 1859 to 1909, featuring a female figure of Liberty wearing a Native American-style feathered headdress rather than an actual portrait of a Native American person. It replaced the Flying Eagle cent and was itself replaced by the Lincoln cent.
Obverse (Front)
Liberty faces left, wearing a headdress with a band reading "LIBERTY." "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" arcs around the upper rim, and the date sits at the bottom. Early coins (1859) show a laurel wreath reverse, but the obverse portrait remained essentially consistent throughout the series.
Reverse (Back)
From 1860 onward, the reverse shows an oak wreath tied with a ribbon bow, encircling "ONE CENT," with a small shield added above the wreath starting in 1860. The 1859-only reverse instead has a simple laurel wreath without the shield.
Size, Weight, Metal, and Edge
From 1859-1864 the coin was struck in copper-nickel ("white cent"), 88% copper and 12% nickel, weighing about 4.67 grams, giving it a pale, light bronze-gray color. From mid-1864 onward it switched to bronze (95% copper, 5% tin/zinc) at about 3.11 grams, matching the color of later Lincoln cents. Diameter is 19 mm with a plain edge throughout.
Mint Marks
Nearly all Indian Head cents were struck in Philadelphia and carry no mint mark. The only exception is 1908 and 1909, when a small number were struck in San Francisco with a small "S" below the wreath on the reverse, near the bow.
Telling It Apart from Similar Coins
Collectors distinguish the copper-nickel type (1859-1864, pale color, slightly thicker planchet) from the bronze type (1864-1909, warmer copper color) mainly by color and weight. Within 1864, a bronze variety with a small "L" (for designer Longacre) on Liberty's ribbon, near the bottom of the headdress at the shoulder, distinguishes later 1864 bronze coins from earlier ones without the initial.
Judging Condition at a Glance
Check the headdress feather tips and the ribbon details for wear; on well-worn coins these blend into the field. On the reverse, the ribbon bow and leaf veins in the wreath show flattening first. Bronze coins that have been cleaned often show an unnatural pink or bright orange color instead of natural aged copper-brown.
Authenticity Red Flags
Because 1877 and 1908-S and 1909-S are the scarcest dates, watch for added or altered mint marks and re-engraved last digits of the date. Genuine mint marks have a consistent font and placement matching other coins of the same year; a mint mark that looks pasted on, is off-center, or has different texture than the surrounding metal suggests alteration.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Indian Head cent depict a real Native American?
No. The design shows an idealized figure of Liberty wearing a Native American-style feathered headdress, not a portrait of an actual person.
How do I tell the copper-nickel cents from the bronze ones?
Copper-nickel cents (1859-1864) look pale, almost silvery-tan, and feel slightly heavier for their size, while bronze cents (1864-1909) have the warmer reddish-brown color typical of copper coins.
Where is the mint mark on an Indian Head cent?
Only 1908 and 1909 have mint marks, a small 'S' on the reverse just below the wreath near the ribbon bow; all other dates were struck in Philadelphia with no mint mark.
What does the small 'L' on some coins mean?
It is the designer's initial for James B. Longacre, found on the ribbon near Liberty's shoulder on bronze cents starting in late 1864.
Indian Head Cent identified by the community
Recent Indian Head Cent coins identified with Coin Identifier.
