The 1870 Indian Head penny was one of the most popular coins of its time, and due to its heavy circulation, very few have survived the last century. The first Indian Head Penny was minted in 1858 as a replacement for the Flying Eagle penny, which Mint Director James Ross Snowden found especially difficult to print. The Indian Head originally featured a laurel on the reverse, and after 1860 was replaced with an oak wreath and shield pattern. The Indian Head penny is the direct precursor to the Lincoln penny design that is still in use today.
Different Strike Patterns
The 1870 Indian Head Penny features two distinct strike patterns, making it even more popular with coin collectors. On many of these pennies, the ‘n’ in “One Cent” is printed in bold, while others feature a thinner or more shallow ‘n’ in the inscription. A shallow “n” print can increase the value of the 1870 Indian Head penny by 10-30%.
1870 Indian Head Penny Values
Compared to previous years, the 1870 Indian Head penny saw a decrease in production which has created quite the demand for this rare penny. The average 1870 Indian Head penny goes for hundreds of dollars - but this coin is highly sought after by many collectors, with top-quality, shallow “n” coins fetching almost a thousand dollars.
Type of coin: Penny
Year: 1870
Mint Mark: Philadelphia
Total mintage: 5,275,000
Metal content: 95% Copper, 5% Tin and Zinc
Face value: One Cent
Weight: 3.11 grams
Edge: Plain
Designer: James Barton Longacre
Diameter: 19 millimeters