The Indian cent spans three major types: a one-year laurel-wreath reverse, an oak wreath with shield, and the thinner bronze composition adopted during the Civil War.

This guide covers 1859–1909 issues from Philadelphia and the final San Francisco years, preserving the catalog's three types and four child varieties.

Core specifications

Issue period
1859–1909
Catalog mints
2
Reported catalog mintage
1,849,563,292
Composition
Varies by type
Diameter
19 mm
Weight
Varies by type

A small cent grows into a national workhorse

Longacre's Liberty portrait in a feathered headdress replaced the Flying Eagle after only a few years. The reverse changed immediately after 1859.

A thinner bronze composition arrived in 1864, easing production and defining the long-running form. San Francisco issues in 1908 and 1909 brought the series beyond Philadelphia before Lincoln replaced it.

Obverse, reverse, and the details that identify the type

Confirm the major design, date, and mint mark before studying smaller die differences.

The main portrait and date

Liberty faces left wearing a feathered headdress marked LIBERTY, with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA around the rim and the date below.

Denomination, subject, and mint mark

The 1859 laurel wreath lacks a shield; later oak-wreath reverses add a shield, with ONE CENT centered inside.

Where the cataloged coins were made

Totals are calculated from reported issue records in this catalog; unknown figures are not counted as zero.

  • P — Philadelphia: 1859, 1860, 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864, 1865, 1866, 1867, 1868, 1869, 1870, 1871, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1876, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887, 1888, 1889, 1890, 1891, 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1896, 1897, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906, 1907, 1908, 1909; 1,848,139,292. Philadelphia issues commonly carry no P mint mark in classic series; confirm the expected blank area rather than searching for a letter.
  • S — San Francisco: 1908, 1909; 1,424,000. Confirm the S mint mark together with its expected year, position, and issue format.

Representative issues that explain the series

A three-type set tells the design and composition story; a date set adds 1877, final San Francisco issues, and selected recognized varieties.

  • 1859 P - Laurel Wreath Reverse Without Shield — 36,400,000. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
  • 1860 P — 20,566,000. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
  • 1864 P — 13,740,000. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
  • 1877 P — 852,500. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
  • 1908 S — 1,115,000. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
  • 1909 S — 309,000. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.

Start with the major type, then study smaller die differences

The current catalog records 4 varieties. A variety name describes repeatable die features; it does not automatically mean error, rarity, or added value.

The issue catalog keeps all 4 modeled varieties attached to their parent issue records.

Issue catalog

1859 P Indian Cent - Laurel Wreath Reverse Without Shield1860 P Indian Cent1861 P Indian Cent1862 P Indian Cent1863 P Indian Cent1864 P Indian Cent1864 P Indian Cent - All Varieties1864 P Indian Cent - No L1864 P Indian Cent - With L1865 P Indian Cent1866 P Indian Cent1867 P Indian Cent1868 P Indian Cent1869 P Indian Cent1870 P Indian Cent - Shallow N1870 P Indian Cent - Bold N1871 P Indian Cent - Shallow N1871 P Indian Cent - Bold N1872 P Indian Cent - Shallow N1872 P Indian Cent - Bold N1873 P Indian Cent - All Varieties1873 P Indian Cent - Closed 31873 P Indian Cent - Double Liberty1873 P Indian Cent - Open 31874 P Indian Cent1875 P Indian Cent1876 P Indian Cent1877 P Indian Cent1878 P Indian Cent1879 P Indian Cent1880 P Indian Cent1881 P Indian Cent1882 P Indian Cent1883 P Indian Cent1884 P Indian Cent1885 P Indian Cent1886 P Indian Cent - All Varieties1886 P Indian Cent - Type 11886 P Indian Cent - Type 21887 P Indian Cent1888 P Indian Cent1889 P Indian Cent1890 P Indian Cent1891 P Indian Cent1892 P Indian Cent1893 P Indian Cent1894 P Indian Cent1895 P Indian Cent1896 P Indian Cent1897 P Indian Cent1898 P Indian Cent1899 P Indian Cent1900 P Indian Cent1901 P Indian Cent1902 P Indian Cent1903 P Indian Cent1904 P Indian Cent1905 P Indian Cent1906 P Indian Cent1907 P Indian Cent1908 P Indian Cent1908 S Indian Cent1909 P Indian Cent1909 S Indian Cent

From one type coin to a complete catalog

  • One representative coin: Choose one problem-free, readable example and learn the size, edge, and major design.
  • Major-type set: Use one coin per major design to show changes in artwork, composition, or production.
  • Dates and mints: Work through the issue catalog by date and mint, defining special finishes separately.
  • Variety study: Choose one date or diagnostic family and record several matching markers for every attribution.

A note on catalog records

This page uses 64 issue records, 4 modeled varieties, and currently reported mintages; unknown values remain unknown.

Sources

  1. Penny: Designs and History — United States Mint
  2. Indian Cent category reference — PCGS CoinFacts