The 1900 Indian Head Penny represents the turn of the century. As the first edition of the famous Indian Head Penny cast in the 20th century, it is often thought of by collectors as the connection between the eighteen- and nineteen hundreds. This connection has led to a spike in popularity of this coin specifically, making it more difficult to find than other Indian Head Pennies.
The Popularity of the 1900 Indian Head Penny
The rapid growth of the United States economy at the turn of the century led to a surprising increase in demand of pennies during this time period, and large mintages occurred consistently until the Indian Head penny was phased out in 1909. One example is the rise in popularity of penny arcades as a form of entertainment, particularly among young people at the time. For one penny you could play early, non electric iterations of pinball or mutoscopes, an early motion picture device. This rise in economic strength corresponded with consistent population growth, adding to the demand even further.
United States Treasury laws in 1900 provided that only the Philadelphia Mint could produce the cent. This was because the allocation of funding to purchase the needed metals for striking the coin had gone unchanged since the 1870s. The result is that all 1900 Indian Head Pennies originated in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, unlike Indian Head Pennies from the later half of the decade, which were struck in that city as well as at the San Francisco Mint in California.
Valuing the 1900 Indian Head Penny
The face of the coin shows the profile of a woman wearing a Native American headdress of nine feathers. The reverse shows an oak wreath, shield, and three arrows. This coin was in circulation for a long time, so it’s understandably difficult to find it in a great condition. One way you can judge the grade is to check the ribbon on the neck of the woman’s profile: the more detail visible in the ribbon, the better.
Type of coin: Penny
Year: 1900 Indian Head Penny
Mint Mark: none
Total mintage: 66,833,794
Metal content: 95% copper, 5% tin and zinc
Face value: One Cent
Weight: 3.11 grams
Diameter: 19 millimeters
Edge: Plain
Designer: James B. Longacre