Numismatic

1883 Indian Head Cent Good+

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Struck in 1883 at the Philadelphia Mint, this United States one-cent piece represents a classic era of American copper coinage. The coin is composed of a traditional alloy containing 95 percent copper, with the remaining 5 percent made of tin and zinc. Over the decades, this specific piece has worn down to a Good grade, showing the honest circulation of a coin that passed through many hands in late nineteenth-century America. The obverse features a depiction of Liberty adorned in a native feather headdress, a famous motif created by designer James B. Longacre. Surrounding this central figure is the name of the issuing nation, while the year 1883 is clearly visible at the bottom. On the reverse, the denomination is stated simply as ONE CENT, positioned inside a decorative wreath. This design combination remains one of the most recognizable and celebrated imagery styles in the history of small cents.