Numismatic

1909 Indian Head Cent BU (Brown)

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The year 1909 marked the end of an era for one of America's most recognizable minor coins. This brilliant uncirculated copper cent represents the final issue of the Indian Head design, capturing the transition point of United States coinage at the start of the twentieth century. Struck at the Philadelphia Mint, this coin is composed of an alloy containing 95 percent copper, with the remaining 5 percent made of tin and zinc. The obverse features a profile of Liberty wearing a traditional Native American feather headdress, with the word LIBERTY clearly inscribed across the band. Encircling this central figure is the name of the issuing nation, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, alongside the date 1909 at the bottom. This design, created by James B. Longacre, offers a unique nineteenth-century perspective on American liberty. On the reverse, the denomination ONE CENT is framed by a stylized wreath of oak leaves. At the top of the wreath sits a small shield, while the bottom features a bundle of arrows secured by a ribbon bow. In this brilliant uncirculated condition, the coin retains its original details and a distinct brown copper luster, offering a vivid look at a design that circulated through the pockets of Americans for half a century.