Indian Head cent: $0.042 in metal
Front1909 Indian Head cent (type coin shown)
BackSame coin typeThe Indian Head cent (1859 to 1909) is mostly copper. Cents from 1864 on weigh 3.11 g and are 95% copper, so the copper in one is worth about $0.042 at current prices. Copper is $6.46 per pound today.
Melt value is the metal only. It is not what the coin sells for: collectors pay for date, mint mark and condition. This page does not show collector prices. Price guides: PCGS, NGC.
Indian Head Cent: weight, size and metal
| Version | Weight | Metal in one coin | Metal value now |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze95% copper, 5% tin and zinc | 3.11 g | 2.95 g copper | $0.042 |
| Copper-nickel (small cent)88% copper, 12% nickel | 4.67 g | 4.11 g copper, 0.56 g nickel | $0.068 |
Designer: James B. Longacre. Edge: plain. Mint mark: On the reverse, below the wreath (San Francisco only, 1908 and 1909). All other dates were struck in Philadelphia and have no mint mark. Metal in one coin = weight x the metal's share; metal value = grams ÷ 453.59 grams per pound, times the copper and nickel prices. Nickel has no free live feed, so the nickel price is an editorial estimate.
What a group of Indian cents is worth in metal
| Coins | Bronze | Copper-nickel |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $0.04 | $0.07 |
| 10 | $0.42 | $0.68 |
| 100 | $4.20 | $6.78 |
| 1,000 | $42.05 | $67.75 |
Metal value at the live price, before any dealer discount and with no collector premium. The face value of 100 coins is $1.
Indian Head Cent dates collectors look for
| Date | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| 1909-S309,000 minted | The lowest mintage of the series and its last year. San Francisco mint mark below the wreath. |
| 1877852,500 minted | A weak economy and little demand for cents made this one of the scarcest dates. It carries no mint mark. |
| 1908-S1,115,000 minted | The first San Francisco Indian cent. Described as a scarce issue. |
| 1864 copper-nickel vs bronze13,740,000 and 39,233,714 minted | Both were struck in 1864 when the Mint changed the metal. A small "L" (designer's initial) appears on some bronze cents. |
Mintages are the figures in the sources listed below. This page does not list collector prices.
Indian Head Cent mintage by date and mint
Business-strike mintage by date (Philadelphia unless marked S) 54 rows
Business strikes only, for every date. Proof coins are not counted. Figures are the Red Book mintages as listed on Wikipedia.
| Date and mint | Mintage |
|---|---|
| 1859 | 36,400,000 |
| 1860 | 20,566,000 |
| 1861 | 10,100,000 |
| 1862 | 28,075,000 |
| 1863 | 49,840,000 |
| 1864 copper-nickel | 13,740,000 |
| 1864 bronze | 39,233,714 |
| 1865 | 35,429,286 |
| 1866 | 9,826,500 |
| 1867 | 9,821,000 |
| 1868 | 10,266,500 |
| 1869 | 6,420,000 |
| 1870 | 5,275,000 |
| 1871 | 3,929,500 |
| 1872 | 4,042,000 |
| 1873 | 11,676,500 |
| 1874 | 14,187,500 |
| 1875 | 13,528,000 |
| 1876 | 7,944,000 |
| 1877 | 852,500 |
| 1878 | 5,797,500 |
| 1879 | 16,228,000 |
| 1880 | 38,961,000 |
| 1881 | 39,208,000 |
| 1882 | 38,578,000 |
| 1883 | 45,591,500 |
| 1884 | 23,257,800 |
| 1885 | 11,761,594 |
| 1886 | 17,650,000 |
| 1887 | 45,223,523 |
| 1888 | 37,489,832 |
| 1889 | 48,866,025 |
| 1890 | 57,180,114 |
| 1891 | 47,070,000 |
| 1892 | 37,647,087 |
| 1893 | 46,640,000 |
| 1894 | 16,749,500 |
| 1895 | 38,341,474 |
| 1896 | 39,055,431 |
| 1897 | 50,464,392 |
| 1898 | 49,821,284 |
| 1899 | 53,598,000 |
| 1900 | 66,831,502 |
| 1901 | 79,609,158 |
| 1902 | 87,374,704 |
| 1903 | 85,092,703 |
| 1904 | 61,326,198 |
| 1905 | 80,717,011 |
| 1906 | 96,020,530 |
| 1907 | 108,137,143 |
| 1908 | 32,326,317 |
| 1908-S | 1,115,000 |
| 1909 | 14,368,470 |
| 1909-S | 309,000 |
About the indian head cent
James B. Longacre designed the cent in 1858 as a smaller replacement for the large cent. The head is Liberty wearing a feathered headdress, not a portrait of a Native American. The first cents were 88% copper and 12% nickel; in 1864 the Mint changed to a lighter 95% copper bronze. The reverse changed from a wreath to a shield in 1860.
Indian Head cents were struck every year until 1909, when the Lincoln cent replaced them. Production changed with demand: more than 108 million were struck in 1907, the highest of the series, but only about 852,500 for circulation in 1877.
What the sources say
- Design CoinWeek says tests conducted in 1858 found that Longacre's design with Liberty in an Indian headdress would lead to longer die life.
- Design CoinWeek says Indian Head cents struck from 1860 onward have a reverse with an oak wreath surmounted by a federal shield.
- Specification CoinWeek says the Indian Head cent used copper-nickel until partway through 1864, when the composition was changed to bronze.
- mint Stack's Bowers says Indian cents were struck in Philadelphia exclusively until 1908, when coinage began at San Francisco as well, and some 1908 and 1909 Indian cents carry an S mintmark below the wreath.
- Design Stack's Bowers says the only modification to the Indian cent design occurred in 1886, when the bottom feather in the headdress was lowered to point between the CA in AMERICA rather than the IC.
Sources for these notes
CoinWeek: “Tests conducted in 1858 found that Longacre’s new design featuring Lady Liberty wearing an Indian headdress would lead to longer die life.”
CoinWeek: “For Indian Head Cents struck from 1860 onward, the reverse design featured an oak wreath surmounted by a federal shield.”
CoinWeek: “The use of copper-nickel continued until partway through 1864, at which time the composition of the cent was changed to bronze”
Stack's Bowers: “Indian cents were struck in Philadelphia exclusively until 1908, at which time coinage began at the San Francisco mint as well, and in 1908 and 1909, some Indian cents appeared with an “S” mintmark below the wreath.”
Stack's Bowers: “The only modification occurred in 1886, when the bottom feather in the headdress was lowered slightly and now pointed between the “CA” IN AMERICA rather than the “IC” seen earlier.”
Quick answers
How much copper is in an Indian Head cent?
A bronze Indian Head cent (1864 to 1909) weighs 3.11 g and is 95% copper, which is about 2.95 g of copper. The page shows the live metal value.
Is an Indian Head cent worth more than its metal?
In almost every case, yes. The coins are over 100 years old and collectors pay for dates and condition. Melt value is only the metal, and this page does not give collector prices.
Is it legal to melt Indian Head cents?
US Mint rules (31 CFR part 82) restrict melting one-cent and five-cent coins. Check the rule before you do anything with coins.
What is the key date for Indian Head cents?
The 1909-S, with 309,000 struck, is the lowest mintage of the series. The 1877, with 852,500, is also a key date.
Copper price todayCopper penny melt valueLincoln wheat centMint marks explained
Sources: Indian Head cent (specifications, composition, key dates (citing R.S. Yeoman, A Guide Book of United States Coins)); United States cent mintage figures (business-strike mintage by date, with proofs listed separately (citing R.S. Yeoman, A Guide Book of United States Coins)). Photo: 1909 Indian Head cent (type coin shown), Brandon Grossardt (image), James B. Longacre (design). Public domain. Facts checked 2026-10-30. Metal prices: Lustre market data (gold-api.com feed).
