Early Indian Head Cents

It was very popular among numismatists in the 1940s and 1950s to collect Indian Head cents, but in the 1960s this appeal began to fall off. In the past few years, however, interest has picked up and the publication of specialized works, such as those by Richard Snow, has heightened regard for the series.

The origin of the Indian Head cent, in some respects, goes back to the early 1850s when the price of copper began to rise. During part of 1851 the Treasury actually lost money on each cent coin that was struck; the situation improved in 1852, but everyone knew that it was only a matter of time until the government was forced to do something about minor coinage. The Treasury then directed Mint officials to examine the matter and make suggestions.

Many different ideas were tried, including reducing the weight of the copper coins, as has been done in 1793 and 1795; that authority still existed for the president but was not used in this case. This time, however, Mint Director James Ross Snowden was determined to try a new and radical solution: he suggested copper-nickel coins much smaller than the bulky large cents so familiar to the public.

Snowden directed