Liberty wearing a Native American headdress on the obverse — not an actual Indigenous portrait. Composition shifted from copper-nickel to bronze in 1864. Replaced by the Lincoln cent in 1909 for the centennial of Lincoln's birth.
| Designer | James Barton Longacre |
|---|---|
| Composition | 88% copper / 12% nickel (1859–1864); 95% copper / 5% tin & zinc (1864–1909) |
| Weight | 3.11 g |
| Diameter | 19 mm |
| Edge | Plain |
| Series | Indian Head Cent |
| Years issued | 1859–1909 |
| Year | Mintmark | Variety | Mintage | Rarity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1864 | P | L on Ribbon | — | semi-key |
| 1872 | P | — | 4.0M | semi-key |
| 1877 | P | — | 853K | key |
| 1888 | P | Overdate 1888/7 | — | key |
| 1909 | S | — | 309K | key |