1882 Indian Head Penny

The 1882 Indian Head Penny had a total mintage of just over 38.5 million coins struck at the Philadelphia Mint. This coin can be found in colors ranging from brown to red-brown to red with the reds typically commanding the highest prices. This is a relatively common coin all the way up to about Mint State 65. Grades any higher than MS66 become scarce, and only a couple of MS67 coins have been found. The 1882 Indian Head Penny is possible to find in most colorways, within the grades listed above.

History of the 1882 Indian Head Penny

The 1882 Indian Head Penny is typically a well-struck coin with a nice luster. Cherrypicking is advised because some of these coins feature a surface granularity that can be common when the die is showing wear. The Indian Head Cent was designed by James Barton Longacre. The reverse displays the words “One Cent.” It has a laurel wreath and shield surrounding the edge of the coin. The obverse of the coin features the profile of a woman wearing a Native American headdress with the word LIBERTY across the band on the headdress.