1903 United States Indian Head Cent 1C NGC PF 66 RD

The Indian Head Penny is a somewhat puzzling coin. Despite assumptions, it doesn’t feature a Native American man. It shows Lady Liberty with pearls and a ‘feathered tiara’ that was usually worn by male chiefs. And it lasted 50 years before it was replaced by the Lincoln Cent.

The Indian Head Cent aka Indian Head Penny was the second series of small cents. Earlier pennies were 28.5mm in diameter, but they were reduced to 19.05mm in 1856 when copper prices shot up. By reducing the physical dimensions of the coin, the US Mint kept its melt value below its face value. This remained the mint’s most profitable coin until the 1980s.

Obverse

It shows a young version of Lady Liberty wearing pearls and a feather tiara. There’s an L next to the back feather in her hair for designer James B. Longacre. Her headband reads Liberty, with United States in front of her face, Of America behind her head, and the date below her.

Reverse

It shows a wreath made of oak at the top and laurel at the bottom. The wreath is tied with a ribbon that holds three arrows for the first three members of the Union. A striped shield sits at the top opening of the wreath. The middle of the coin spells the denomination, One Cent.