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A genuine 1898 1c Indian Head Cent Penny in F Fine Condition The composition of Indian Head cents was changed to bronze during 1864, and a slightly sharper Indian Head portrait was created near the end of 1864 that included designer James B. Longacre’s initial L on the lower ribbon behind the neck. 1898 Indian Head Penny Value Condition of Coin; Date Good Fine Extremely Fine Uncirculated 1898 Indian Head Penny Value Updated 2021 1898 $1.74 $2.60 $9 $35. During the first year that Indian Head pennies were minted (1859), they had a laurel wreath on the reverse and were made of a copper-nickel composition.; In 1860, the U.S. Mint changed the laurel wreath to an oak wreath and added a small shield at the top of the Indian head penny. Heritage Auction Galleries. In 1859, when Indian Head cents were first made, they were composed of 88 percent copper and 12 percent nickel. In 1864, the U.S. Mint stopped using nickel in the production of Indian Head pennies and changed to a bronze composition, consisting of 95 percent copper and 5 percent tin and zinc.

The Indian Head Penny is a one cent coin that was produced by the United States Mint from 1859 through 1909.

The 1898 United States 'indian head' one. Cent obverse features Liberty facing left, wearing an indian headdress with 'LIBERTY' on the headband.

On the front of the coin, Liberty is depicted as a Native American wearing a feather head dress with the word 'LIBERTY' on it.

The words 'UNITED STATES OF AMERICA', and the date also appear on the front of the Indian Head Cent.

For the first year, the reverse had the words 'ONE CENT' inside a laurel wreath.

In 1860 this was changed to an oak wreath with a small shield.

The Indian Head Pennies were made up of 88% copper and 12% nickel from 1859 to 1864. Then in 1864 they began making them of bronze which is 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc. The weight of the coins was also reduced.

The early Indian Head Cents also went by the nickname 'Nick' or nickel. This was before there was such a thing as the nickel 5 cent coin we know today. They were given that name because of the nickel they contained.

1898 Indian Head Penny For Sale

The Indian Head Pennies lost their nickname in 1866 when five cent nickel coins were produced.

1898 Indian Head Penny Value Chart

It has been rumored that the model for the Indian likeness was the daughter of James Barton Longacre who designed the Indian Head Penny, but it has not been proven.

In 1908 the Indian Head Penny was produced at the San Francisco Mint. This was the first time that one cent coins were minted anywhere but the Philadelphia Mint.

The Indian Pennies produced at the San Francisco mint have the 'S' mint mark. The coins minted in Philadelphia, however, do not have any identifying mint marks. An Indian Head Penny with and 'S' mint mark is somewhat scarce, hence they are more valuable than other Indian Head Cents.

The Denver Mint did not see one cent coin production until 1911.

There are Three Varieties of Indian Head Pennies

Variety 1 - Copper-Nickel, Laurel Wreath Reverse 1859

Variety 2 - Copper-Nickel, Oak Wreath With Shield 1860-1864

Variety 3 - Bronze 1864-1909

During the Civil War, almost all gold and silver coins disappeared from circulation. Eventually the copper-nickel coins also became scarce. Merchants in larger cities began to issue their own copper tokens so that they would have change for their customers. The government stepped in in 1864 and began issuing its own thin bronze one cent coin. They also made the merchant's tokens illegal.

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