1864 Indian Head Penny – Copper-Nickel – XF
Updated August 19, 2026
| Lot number | 184 |
| Auction | VARIETY COIN AUCTION - 8/26/26 |
| Date | August 26, 2026 at 7:05 PM CDT |
| Auction house | BIGBIDNOW |
| Location | Columbia, Missouri |
Offered is an 1864 Indian Head Cent struck in copper-nickel and graded XF (Extremely Fine). This is a particularly interesting issue because 1864 was the transition year in which the U.S. Mint changed the Indian Head Cent from copper-nickel to bronze. The copper-nickel version is the scarcer of the two 1864 compositions. Please review the photos for the exact condition, surfaces, and details. The Indian Head Cent was designed by James B. Longacre and features Liberty wearing a Native American-style headdress on the obverse, with a shield and oak wreath surrounding the denomination on the reverse. The series was introduced in 1859 and continued through 1909. The 1864 copper-nickel issue was struck at the Philadelphia Mint, with a reported mintage of 13,740,000 pieces. It contains approximately 88% copper and 12% nickel, weighs about 4.70 grams, and has a plain edge. Later 1864 cents were struck in bronze, making the copper-nickel variety an important distinction for collectors.
