1859 Indian Head Cent Good

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The year 1859 marked the debut of a legendary American coin design. This first year of the Indian Head cent series stands out as a distinct one year type, displaying a reverse design that was never used again in the subsequent years of the series. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint, these early pennies were composed of an alloy containing 88 percent copper and 12 percent nickel, giving them a lighter, thicker appearance than the copper cents that followed later in the decade. On the obverse, the design features a representation of Liberty adorned with an Native American feathered headdress, surrounded by the legend "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" and the date 1859 at the bottom. The reverse of this inaugural issue features the words "ONE CENT" nestled simply inside a laurel wreath. In the following year, this wreath was replaced with an oak wreath and shield, making this 1859 design a fascinating, standalone specimen in American numismatic history.