Proof Strike Proof Strike

Proof Strike

Designed by: James Barton Longacre
Issue Dates: 1864-1909
Composition: 95% copper, 5% tin and zinc
Diameter: 19 mm
Weight: 48 grains
Edge: Plain
Proof Mintage: 98,000 (estimated)

Proof coins had been struck by the Philadelphia mint since the early 1820s, but prior to 1858, strikings were occasional, and distribution was confined primarily to those with special connections at the Mint, to influential politicians, foreign dignitaries, and others. Among the more famous of the early Proof coins were the pieces in the set presented to the King of Siam in the mid 1830s (which included an 1804 silver dollar) and the well-known 1856 Flying Eagle cent, of which several thousand were made for members of Congress, and later, for sale to collectors.

Following the Civil war, mintages remained in the pre-war range of 800 to 1,000 pieces but by the early 1870s had slowly climbed to around 1,000-1,500 coins annually. Beginning in 1878, more exact figures are available, and from that point through 1909, mintage ranged from a low of 1,475 in 1907 to a high of 6,609 in 1883, with most falling into the 2,000 to 4,000 range.

The later bronze issues of 1864 to 1909 are segmented primarily by color, with most (60%) falling into the “Red and Brown” category. Around a quarter are “Brown” and the rest (about 15%) have retained their full “Red” color. Cameos are quite scarce, and have been designated on only around 2% of the certified coins. Deep Cameos are rare.

Like the earlier copper-nickel pieces, PR-64 and 65 are the most frequently encountered grades, but PR-63s and PR-66s remain widely available. PR-67’s are 5 to 10 times as tough as 66’s, but enough have been certified to enable anyone who wants one to locate an example without undue difficulty. PR-68s are a different story, and are rare with only around 30 pieces currently shown from both services, a figure that almost certainly includes some duplication and overlap.

While most Proof Indian cents are worth roughly the same, one date stands out: the 1877. This is not due to the mintage (which was average for the period) nor the availability today (its certified population is also average) but simply the demand from collectors for this date, since the circulation-strike had an extremely low mintage for a cent, and is the undisputed key to the series.

1864 Indian Head Cent
1864 Indian Head Cent
Variety: Bronze
Proof Mintage: 150
Obverse Text:

1864 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1864 Indian Head Cent
1864 Indian Head Cent
Variety: L on Ribbon
Proof Mintage: 35
Obverse Text:

1864 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY | L

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1865 Indian Head Cent
1865 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 500
Obverse Text:

1865 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1866 Indian Head Cent
1866 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 725
Obverse Text:

1866 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1867 Indian Head Cent
1867 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 625
Obverse Text:

1867 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1868 Indian Head Cent
1868 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 600
Obverse Text:

1868 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1869 Indian Head Cent
1869 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 600
Obverse Text:

1869 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1870 Indian Head Cent
1870 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 1,000
Obverse Text:

1870 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1871 Indian Head Cent
1871 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 960
Obverse Text:

1871 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1872 Indian Head Cent
1872 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 950
Obverse Text:

1872 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1873 Indian Head Cent
1873 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 1,100
Obverse Text:

1873 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1874 Indian Head Cent
1874 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 700
Obverse Text:

1874 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1875 Indian Head Cent
1875 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 700
Obverse Text:

1875 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1876 Indian Head Cent
1876 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 1,150
Obverse Text:

1876 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1877 Indian Head Cent
1877 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 900
Obverse Text:

1877 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1878 Indian Head Cent
1878 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 2,350
Obverse Text:

1878 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1879 Indian Head Cent
1879 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 3,200
Obverse Text:

1879 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1880 Indian Head Cent
1880 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 3,955
Obverse Text:

1880 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1881 Indian Head Cent
1881 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 3,575
Obverse Text:

1881 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1882 Indian Head Cent
1882 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 3,100
Obverse Text:

1882 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1883 Indian Head Cent
1883 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 6,609
Obverse Text:

1883 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1884 Indian Head Cent
1884 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 3,942
Obverse Text:

1884 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1885 Indian Head Cent
1885 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 3,790
Obverse Text:

1885 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1886 Indian Head Cent
1886 Indian Head Cent
Variety: Type 1
Proof Mintage: 4,290 For All Types
Obverse Text:

1886 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1886 Indian Head Cent
1886 Indian Head Cent
Variety: Type 2
Proof Mintage: 4,290 For All Types
Obverse Text:

1886 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1887 Indian Head Cent
1887 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 2,960
Obverse Text:

1887 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1888 Indian Head Cent
1888 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 4,582
Obverse Text:

1888 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1889 Indian Head Cent
1889 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 3,336
Obverse Text:

1889 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1890 Indian Head Cent
1890 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 2,740
Obverse Text:

1890 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1891 Indian Head Cent
1891 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 2,350
Obverse Text:

1891 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1892 Indian Head Cent
1892 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 2,745
Obverse Text:

1892 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1893 Indian Head Cent
1893 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 2,195
Obverse Text:

1893 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1894 Indian Head Cent
1894 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 2,632
Obverse Text:

1894 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1895 Indian Head Cent
1895 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 2,062
Obverse Text:

1895 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1896 Indian Head Cent
1896 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 1,862
Obverse Text:

1896 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1897 Indian Head Cent
1897 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 1,938
Obverse Text:

1897 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1898 Indian Head Cent
1898 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 1,795
Obverse Text:

1898 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1899 Indian Head Cent
1899 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 2,031
Obverse Text:

1899 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1900 Indian Head Cent
1900 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 2,262
Obverse Text:

1900 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1901 Indian Head Cent
1901 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 1,985
Obverse Text:

1901 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1902 Indian Head Cent
1902 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 2,018
Obverse Text:

1902 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1903 Indian Head Cent
1903 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 1,790
Obverse Text:

1903 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1904 Indian Head Cent
1904 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 1,817
Obverse Text:

1904 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1905 Indian Head Cent
1905 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 2,152
Obverse Text:

1905 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1906 Indian Head Cent
1906 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 1,725
Obverse Text:

1906 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1907 Indian Head Cent
1907 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 1,475
Obverse Text:

1907 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1908 Indian Head Cent
1908 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 1,620
Obverse Text:

1908 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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1909 Indian Head Cent
1909 Indian Head Cent
Proof Mintage: 2,175
Obverse Text:

1909 | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | LIBERTY

Reverse Text:

ONE CENT

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