1894-P Indian Cent G–VG

Scarce 1894-P Indian Head Cents

Because the Lincoln Cent has been struck in more than a century, most people alive today aren’t even familiar with the copper cent that came before it. In fact, the coin the preceded the Lincoln Cent—the beloved Indian Head Cent—was a long-running coin in its own right, arriving on the scene in 1859, two years before Abraham Lincoln took up residency in the White House and would be struck for the next 50 years. It’s one of those special vintage American coins that led many people to start their collections in the first place.

Low-Mintage 1894 Indian Head Cent

During the 1890s, the United States Mint struck more than 436 million Indian Head Cents, with mintages ranging from 37 to 57 million. The anomaly to these mintages occurred in 1894 when the “Mother Mint” in Philadelphia struck only 16.75 million for circulation. Because of its low mintage, it’s not easy to find this date in any quantity in today’s coin market. So, when we stumbled upon a hoard of 500 coins, we grabbed it without blinking! Plus, each comes in Good to Very Good (G–VG) condition, which means it circulated in commerce.

Fact or Fiction: The Story Behind the Design of the Indian Head Cent

Struck from 1859 to 1909, America’s Indian Head Cent coin was designed by James Barton Longacre, the U.S. Mint’s 4th Chief Engraver. The coin got its nickname thanks to Longacre’s wonderful design that depicts Lady Liberty wearing a Native American headdress along with a beaded necklace and a hair band emblazoned with a diamond. A popular story about the coin’s design claims that when a delegation of Indian chiefs visited Longacre in Philadelphia, one was so taken by the red hair of Longacre’s 12-year-old daughter, Sarah, that he let her try on his headdress. Later, Longacre used the quick sketch he made of his daughter wearing the headdress as the model for the one-cent coin he was designing. Whether the story is true or not—and Longacre family oral history claims in no uncertain terms that it IS true—the Indian Head Cent proved to be an immensely popular coin before, during and after the Civil War.

The classic Indian Head Cent hasn’t been struck for more than 110 years. Since then, many have been lost, destroyed, or worn down to almost nothing in circulation. So, while 500 may seem like a lot, it’s not. Act now to get yours!