1909 Indian Head Pennies

1909 marks the last year of Indian Head cents. These are also considerably scarce coins, namely because they weren’t minted for the entire year, as the Lincoln cent would debut late that summer. The Philadelphia and San Francisco mints struck Indian Head pennies in 1909, with Philadelphia cents being the most common for that year. The 1909-S Indian Head pennies are quite scarce and, actually, were struck in small quantities than that mint’s more widely known 1909 production, the 1909-S VDB Lincoln cent.

Here’s a look at the mintages and values for 1909 Indian Head cents:

• 1909 (Philadelphia), 14,370,645; $10

• 1909-S, 309,000; $485

• 1909 proof, 2,175; $1,275

*Values are for coins in a grade of Good-4, unless otherwise noted.

While 1909 Indian Head pennies are relatively scarce, it’s best to seek original, uncleaned specimens for your coin collection if you can afford such pieces. Finding a 1909 Philadelphia Indian Head penny shouldn’t be very difficult, but 1909-S Indian Head cents are rare and should be bought carefully, as counterfeits do exist. If you can buy an authenticated, graded, and slabbed 1909-S Indian Head penny, by all means do so. The peace of mind you’ll enjoy in buying a certified 1909-S Indian Head penny in invaluable.